Tales of Samurai Nights: The Unattainable Geisha
by inuyasha-n-kagome-rox142
Summary: The Emperor is dead. Naraku wants the throne, Sesshoumaru won't claim it, all hope lies with the daughter of the Higurashi clan... but Kagome was once sold to a geisha house, and no one knows where she is...
1. The Start of the Adventure

**Chapter 1: The Start of the Adventure**

"I just received news; the Emperor is dead," announced Miroku.

"And your point?" asked Inuyasha. They had been journeying north towards Edo for days. The weather had been far from kind, and Inuyasha was tired and not in the mood for chit-chat or court gossip.

Miroku, on the other hand, was in a spirited mood. "Well, the Emperor died without an heir, or any children, for that matter," Miroku explained patiently to Inuyasha. "In his will, he stated that the most powerful daimyo lords would compete for the throne, with the Shogun Naraku as mediator."

"Yes, and I still don't see your point," said Inuyasha irritably.

This caused Miroku to shake his head. "Inuyasha. Everyone knows your brother is the most affluent Lord around, and the only reason why he hasn't overthrown Naraku as shogun is because he couldn't be bothered to. Surely now, with the seat of the Emperor open, he would step in? And, you would become a prince at the very least."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "How tempting. I assure you Sesshoumaru won't step up to claim the throne. Him, becoming the religious leader of Japan as the son of heaven, to sit in a castle in Heian-kyo, a helpless puppet?" He couldn't imagine Sesshoumaru doing that for one minute, and surely Miroku knew as much.

"I'll admit, it's not Sesshoumaru's general inclination," chuckled Miroku. "But you can be sure he'll cripple the shogun and take full control, if he were ever to become Emperor."

"Sesshoumaru hates Heian-Kyo. He'd never live there," declared Inuyasha. He couldn't blame his brother, the weather was horrible, the city was packed, and the court etiquette was sheer stifling.

"Please, Inuyasha, must you be so backward? Heian-kyo is now known as Kyoto." Miroku rolled his eyes and took out a compass. "Which... is where we will be heading."

"What!" yelled Inuyasha, ready to throttle the monk. "We're so close to Edo, and now you want to go all the way back south to Kyoto?"

Miroku ignored him, and started unrolling a map of Japan. "Listen, Sesshoumaru is probably already _in_ Kyoto. If we go there, we can monitor his movements."

Inuyasha groaned as Miroku steered him a hundred and eighty degrees towards the south and started walking. "Miroku, has it never registered on you that Sesshoumaru _hates_ me?"

Yes, Miroku had seen much of the brothers' conflict. But that was was not his only reason for wanting to go to Kyoto now. Miroku had another motive, though he hesitated over sharing it with his long-time buddy Inuyasha.

"I've... got a sister."

"Hah?" Inuyasha gaped at Miroku, stopping mid-step.

"Yes. I'm going to look for my sister in Kyoto," said Miroku with a deadly serious face.

Inuyasha shook his head, trying to recall just when and where Miroku had ever mentioned this sister. Because the monk sure as hell hadn't. "You never mentioned her," he growled.

"Oh, I didn't? My apologies. She's either in Edo or Kyoto, which is why I suggested we go to Edo first simply because it was closer to the village we were in."

They marched on in silence for awhile.

"Wait, did you say the current shogun is Naraku? Won't he try and take control too, instead of sitting back and choosing an emperor from the other daimyo?" Inuyasha asked.

"What exactly do you think I've been trying to tell you!" Rolling his eyes, Miroku marvelled at his friend's unawareness. "Currently, Naraku Takamoto is shogun, yes? The shogun is not allowed to be Emperor."

"But even if he wanted to challenge his claim to the throne...?"

"He couldn't and shouldn't bother," explained Miroku. "Naraku's a hanyou – he'll never stand a chance against Sesshoumaru. And I hear because he's into evil arts like sorcery Naraku would never be pure enough to assume the role of Emperor."

Inuyasha snorted. "And you're saying my brother, the Killing Perfection, is pure?" As far as Inuyasha was concerned his brother was a ruthless lord with all the arrogance afforded to him by privilege and class.

"Well, to an extent." Miroku tried to explain to Inuyasha. "Lord Sesshoumaru kills those that trespass on his lands, and those he doesn't like. Even samurai have that right, and as a lord he probably does it with a clear conscience."

Therein lay the difference, and even Inuyasha had to agree. Naraku's cruelty was legendary; he killed because he enjoyed hearing people scream. Whereas Sesshoumaru was the type to slaughter his opponent in a fair duel, Naraku had no qualms using poison or black magic if it suited him. In the years Sesshoumaru had ruled as Lord of the Western Lands the people always paid their taxes and spoke his name with reverence. But if Naraku ever, god forbid, ascended the throne, the people would be the first to suffer.

* * *

The calm notes of a shamisen playing were broken by a feminine shriek.

"You are impossible!" screamed Kikyo. She'd be assigned to look after this spoilt brat of an apprentice geisha who had no respect for authority whatsover. Even now, the girl's wide, innocent-looking brown eyes stared at Kikyo, false tears threatening to spill over onto perfectly heart-shaped cheeks. With a cry of frustration, Kikyo fled from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Kagome, said apprentice geisha, did not care. Casually she brushed her wet face with her kimono sleeves; tears were an excellent tool for driving Kikyo mad. No matter how much the geisha mothers and sisters railed at her, Kagome Higurashi hardly budged. No, she was not happy playing dress-up and flirting with disgusting old men. The geisha profession was below her station in life. Although her step-mother had sold her to one of Kyoto's prominent geisha houses, being born into the powerful Higurashi clan, Kagome had a sense of self, and was not easily intimidated by the likes of Kikyo.

Her only concern was her maid Sango, and her old nurse Kaede. They, too, had been sold off with Kagome, but unlike Kagome they were bullied mercilessly by the geisha and servants.

Having witnessed another confrontation between her old charge and the geisha Kikyo, Kaede frowned disapprovingly at Kagome. "Just listen to them once in awhile, Kagome. You wouldn't want them to get drastically furious about you, would you? They might throw you out," she said, concern written on her features.

"They won't," said Kagome airily. "I cost them too much money to buy." Considering that most of the other girls that the geisha houses bought were from fishing villages or farms, coming straight from a noble's househld Kagome had no need to undergo the years of training in the fine arts. Already trained in society's various refinements, Kagome had been sent straight to debut an apprentice geisha. Despite her attitude probems, her very impudence was refreshing and attractive to the customers they served, and her monthly revenue was beginning to exceed Kikyo's.

Kagome knew her geisha mother's kind - money-hungry and shallow. It would be a poor investment to throw Kagome Higurashi out onto the streets, especially when she earned so much for them. Kikyo was already in her thirties, and wouldn't last much longer as a popular geisha. Kagome, on the other hand, just turned sixteen, had the world ahead of her – and they haven't even sold her mizuage yet.

Not that she would let them sell it. Kagome found it a foul practice to stick her virginity up for bidding. Just like she had refused to let the hairdressers pour boiling wax on her hair to style it, just like she had refused to paint her face stark white, which was the reason for Kikyo's tantrum today. There would be a convention of many daimyo lords tonight, and all the top geisha had been summoned to entertain.

Then again, now that Kagome thouguht about it, it was better if she wore the makeup. It was inevitable that a few of the lords there would be of her acquaintance and it was best if none of them would recognize her as Kagome Higurashi.

"Anyways," said Kaede, "when I was marketing on the streets today, I heard that several men are planning to ask the teahouse mistress to let them be your danna, without the extra benefits they would get. If men are willing to pay high fees just to sit and talk with you without sleeping with you, you are more valuable than you think you are."

Kagome snorted. "Valuable? They've invested so much to buy me, yes. But I'm going to run away, I don't care how many losses they make."

"Kagome! If they find you, and they will, you'll get beaten till you wish you were dead," warned Kaede, fearing for the headstrong girl. She had no doubt Kagome would make good on her word, and Japan wasn't big enough for a single girl to run far.

"Not to worry, I've got my best friend Sango here, who happens to be a demon exterminator," said Kagome. "We'll both run. And you too, Kaede."

The geisha house mistress soon entered the room, followed by Kikyo, who looked smug.

"What's this I hear about you not wanting to get your hair done?" the mistress asked sternly, with a frown.

"It's a stupid custom," Kagome said bluntly.

The mistress sighed. She'd known this girl would be difficult, being a nobleman's daughter, but the mistress could play tough. 'So you won't conform to any of our traditions. Fine. I promise you I will sell your Sango-chan to some dirty brothel down the street."

Kagome paled slightly.

"What's more, you will perform a dance at the lords' convention tonight," the mistress said harshly. "If not, you can join Sango-chan in a whorehouse, and don't think I won't do it because I'll probably profit on the sale of the two of you."

Damn the bitch. Kagome's mind whirred. She'd have to conform on the makeup, and as for performing... well, it would be a perfect chance to escape this time in between costume changes. She could always bribe a younger geisha anxious to go on stage to take her place.

"Are you listening to me?" demanded the mistress sharply, snapping Kagome from her thoughts. "You certainly are ill-mannered! Well, where was I? Right... have you learned dance? You refuse to take lessons in any arts saying you know them, but to perform dances require years of experience."

Oh, right. She hadn't learned dance – it wasn't required of a lord's daughter. Dancing was reserved for the geisha and actors. Even though the art was revered, the people who performed it weren't always considered to be of good bloodlines.

"Yes, I've learned since I was young," lied Kagome politely. "May I inquire which dance I am to do?"

"Any dance you know," said the mistress imperiously as they left the room.

Kikyo turned angrily to the mistress. "She deserves a good beating, not such freedom in choices. That spoilt brat will never learn our ways! A good lesson would set her straight."

"You know I can't beat her, or mistreat her," the geisha mother said. "For one, her stepmother may have sold her, but she is still a lord's daughter. Who knows what powerful alliances and childhood friends she has, who are simply biding their time till they can rescue her."

"It's all because she's a noble-born lady," complained Kikyo. "I hear she was trained by her father to fight well. God knows, she'll be able to kill any one of us if we piss her off. Not to mention her maid Sango, who looks more like a ninja than a maid."

"Stop your whining, Kikyo," the mistress snapped. "I expect you to make progress with Kagome Higurashi, not come running to me everytime you run into probems." With that, she swept off, leaving the geisha Kikyo staring with hatred in her wake.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked Inuyasha dubiously. "It looks like a geisha district."

Miroku hurried his pace, worried he wouldn't be able to squeeze through the gate. "Oh, it's a geisha district all right – the best of the best. Kyoto's Gion is always renowned for its geisha."

"Well, if it's so exclusive, why are there so many people here?" shot back Inuyasha. They had finally reached Kyoto, but just how the hell they were supposed to find Miroku's sister when Miroku himself was more interested in seeing pretty geisha than searching for his long-lost sibling.

"According to the rumours, the apprentice geisha to be dancing here tonight is very beautiful and talented, not to mention strong-willed. She has refused to entertain for performances until now, and will only chat with certain men of her choosing. For some strange reason she has decided to dance tonight for the lords' convention, and -"

"Spare me your documentary," grumbled Inuyasha. A geisha was a just woman, and worse, who would want to chase a woman who was choosy about the men she talked to?

Miroku shoved their way to the front. Eight burly guards flanked the brightly painted gates, efficiently blocking the view of the street behind from sight. "Who are you?" they asked rudely. "Commoners are not allowed here."

"I'm the High Priest of Shintawa Shrine," lied Miroku. The shrine he'd studied in had kicked him out when he groped the mikos.

"High priest, eh?" That was something. "Very well, you may proceed. And what about your friend?" asked the guards with less arrogance.

"The brother of Lord Sesshoumaru," said Miroku quickly. "Do you not see the family resemblance?"

In truth, none of the guards had even been in the same compound as Sesshoumaru, let alone seen his face, yet they didn't want to appear stupid or low-ranked. "Of course, not that you mention it," they laughed. "How silly we are. Please, step inside."

Miroku inclined his head and tugged Inuyasha inside. Small, elegant lamps lit a path towards a large, imposing teahouse, where sedan-chairs and servants waited outside for their masters.

"That should be the one," guessed Miroku, and dragged Inuyasha along.

As they approached the gates, a sprawling garden came into view. It had been, no doubt, designed by a famous architect. As they walked up a beautifully paved walkway, their footsteps echoed. It was amazing, compared to the din outside, how quiet and peaceful it suddenly became. From the building before them, a shoji-screen door slid open. A maid was kneeling there, having heard their footsteps. She glanced at them contemptuously, taking in their travel-worn clothes.

"We're fully booked," she said bossily, and slammed the door shut as quietly as she could.

"Bitch," cursed Inuyasha.

"Oh, just come this way," said Miroku and led them both around the back, where he rapped on the door sharply.

The door slid open again. The same maid was there, waiting. "I said we're fully booked," she said, bored.

"My brother will kill you when he hears how impudent you've been," muttered Inuyasha angrily.

"Who's your brother?" asked the maid rudely. "I don't care unless your brother is the shogun."

"My brother _Lord Sesshoumaru_ was right, the maids here are bitches," said Inuyasha a little _too_ loudly, nudging Miroku.

"That's right," added Miroku, getting the hint. "No wonder he never comes to this teahouse. I should inform the mistress why." Actually, Miroku had no idea which geisha houses, if any, Lord Sesshoumaru frequented, but the maid was not to know this.

"My apologies," she cried, quickly bowing as low as she could. "I did not know you were the Honourable Brother of -"

"You've got a lot to learn," interrupted Miroku grimly before stepping inside. "May I know the way to the room where the rest of the party is held?"

"Of course," whispered the frightened girl and bowed again. She opened a door and showed Miroku and Inuyasha in, before bowing again and excusing herself.

It was a rather merry scene inside, with at least seven major lords that Miroku could see, many of whom brought at least two high-ranking samurai with them. Geisha flitted around, telling jokes and stories, pouring tea and sake. Inuyasha and Miroku had barely sat when the door slid open again. A small hush fell over the room, and two of the prettiest geisha the room had ever seen bowed at the entrance.

"We beg your indulgence for arriving late," said the older of the two geisha. "My younger sister was refusing to cooperate."

"Shut up and stop blocking the way," said a voice from behind. This was a contrast from the geisha's soft tones and gentle mannerisms, and the men were already straining to see who it was. It was an apprentice geisha, with baby-like makeup and swinging kimono sleeves. However, she somehow outshone the rest of the sophisticated geisha in the room.

The mistress was all smiles. "Come in, Kikyo-san. Would you like to introduce your younger sister to us all?"

Inuyasha strained to see the one they called Kikyo. She was strikingly beautiful, and wore a pleasant smile. However, it seemed somewhat strained and forced.

"It would be my pleasure," said Kikyo, though few in the room believed her. "Kagome, come here."

A girl no older than sixteen entered, eyelids drooping demurely with her cheeks gently flushed. Miroku wouldn't have believed that the sharp voice from before belonged to her, except that there was no one else in the corridor outside. The girl sank slowly to her knees, closing the door behind her in the way all geisha did when they entered a room.

As was the custom, Kikyo took Kagome around the room to bow to the different geisha, starting with the mistress and ending with the most inexperienced geisha. Having paid her respects, Kagome was taken to see the host of the party, the shogun.

"I've heard many things about you," said the shogun in his oily, smooth voice.

Kagome cracked a small, polite smile. "And what would those things be?" She didn't like this man – he gave her the creeps. He had red eyes, for god's sake.

"That you appear shy and unassuming, when you are actually quite headstrong," said Naraku.

"You must be mistaken," said Kagome, feigning shyness.

"Am I?" he asked. Without warning, his arm shot out and grabbed her by the chin, and lifted her face to meet his eyes. Angrily, Kagome glared straight into his eyes, shaking in fury.

"Get your filthy hands off me!" she hissed in anger. There was none of the apprentice geisha's meekness in her, just the fiery spirit of a lord's daughter.

"My apologies... your beauty overwhelmed me," said Naraku, withdrawing his hand, silk sleeves trailing over the floor. He waved a hand to show she was dismissed.

"I am sincerely sorry, Naraku-dono," said Kikyo bowing hastily before hurrying Kagome to the next lord. What was Kagome thinking, offending the shogun! She would have to slap the girl later.

"This is Lord Sesshoumaru," Kikyo told Kagome, who gave the standard bow but slipped a glance at him. Kikyo needn't have bothered, Kagome knew who Lord Sesshoumaru was from seeing him in meetings with her father as a child. Of course, she doubted he knew who she was.

He looked incredibly bored, long fingers tracing his untouched sake cup in lazy circles. Kagome felt a strange respect for this man. While other lords were starched in their best, drinking and making fools of themselves, Lord Sesshoumaru seemed to be so sober it was almost funny.

Etiquette meant that he was expected to acknowledge her at least, but Lord Sesshoumaru barely glanced at the two geisha.

"Hn."

"Do I displease you in some way?" asked Kagome, frowning. Kikyo pinched her arm – she had no business addressing the guests unless they talked to her first.

"Yes. You, sitting here, calling yourself an apprentice geisha... I knew your father, and we shared a mutual respect. What would he think, seeing you here like that?" asked Sesshoumaru, coldy. His voice remained low so only Kagome Higurashi - he recognized her for her scent - could hear. Sesshoumaru waited for her to burst into tears, or flounce off, whatever it was that women did when he snubbed them.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know being sold and forced to do something against my will was my fault. My apologies for disrupting your evening – though I doubt you were having fun anyways," Kagome said truthfully, not really put off by his comments. At least, _one_ of the lords didn't seem to think she was a fantastic geisha. She would rather die than be thought of that way.

"What makes you say I wasn't enjoying myself?" asked Sesshoumaru.

"Look at this group of men. They are educated, and know fighting and can appreciate beauty. But what they know and comprehend is only a small part of what really exists. Instead of looking after their lands, their estates, or concentrating on who will be the next emperor, they sit around drinking with geisha. You are not like that."

Kikyo was straining to listen to the exchange, and they broke off.

"Forgive me for interrupting," said Miroku, coming towards Kagome. "That was the best speech I've heard in years." He knelt, turning over Kagome's image in his mind, committing it to memory.

Kagome shrugged, not afraid of turning her back on Sesshoumaru. She looked at Miroku. "And who would you be?"

"A dark and mysterious stranger, who will come and sweep his true lover off her feet and -"

"Please, keep your hand away from my person," said Kagome icily. Miroku's hand had not escaped her notice – it had been creeping closer and closer as he spoke. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. I should go and prepare for my performance now."

Kagome bowed, and left the room. She couldn't stand another minute of the place – she needed to get out, and fast. Hopefully, the audience would be captivated by her dancing, and ask her for another. Then, in between her costume change she would slip out. Kagome had tucked several thin leaf-shaped sheets of gold in her kimono obi. They would make good bribes if she met any trouble on her way out.

Miroku went over to Inuyasha.

"I think I've found our girl," he announced triumphantly.

"How can you be sure? She's only the first woman we've met."

Miroku sighed. "True. At first, I thought Kikyo was the one; she looked vaguely similar to my sister. But then, Kagome appeared. Besides, from what I overheard between your brother and Kagome, it sounded like her father has died, and she was sold. That's the story of my sister."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. There were probably thousands of girls who had dead fathers and then got sold. "Can you be sure?"

"There's one way," laughed Miroku. "But having seen the display the lovely Kagome has put on tonight, I doubt we can accomplish that."

"Don't tell me," mumbled Inuyasha. "I don't want to know."

A mischievous grin appeared in Miroku's eye. "Oh, but I must tell you. You see, our clan has the traditional of tattooing its members with lucky characters or symbols. If the person has spiritual powers, the symbols will glow. If Kagome is my sister, she should have a character for 'love' that glows gold on her left shoulder, just above her heart."

"And I suppose you have one too," said Inuyasha sarcastically.

"Yes, actually. A character for 'intelligence' – it glows purple. I must say, I rather like the colour-"

He was interrupted by a gasp from the crowd. The dance performance was beginning.

Kagome stood in front of the audience on a slightly raised platform. Whatever the men had been expecting, it wasn't what they were met with.

As the music started, Kagome reached for her dancing fan, and flicked it open. Then, her face perfectly expressionless like all dancers, she reached towards her left hip, and unsheathed a gleaming silver sword.

**End Chap 1**


	2. Escape

**Author's Note:**

I was going over the plot on the train to school. The result? The rating got upped to R. For now, there are few foreseeable lemons but it's R just in case. Citrus is most likely imminent, though not in the first few chapters.

**Chapter 2: Escape**

Tradition demanded that dancers keep their face perfectly expressionless, like a Noh theatre mask.

However, whenever Kagome felt it was safe, she shot quick glances around the room and grimaced in disgust. As though the whole crazy geisha party wasn't bad enough, most of the men had tented their pants.

Dancing itself wasn't too bad. She'd hid herself in a corner of the dance classrooms, trying to pick up something. It had been hopeless, until Sango suggested she do something with a weapon.

Drawing her arm in a sweeping motion across her chest, the sword following, Kagome smiled behind the cover of her sleeve. Everyone was captivated, but nobody – though they were all fighters – could recognize that it was simply a series of sword-fighting stances, going in slow motion. All she'd done was add a silly fan in her left hand and she'd fooled everyone.

Well, maybe not everyone. Red eyes were fixated onto her sword. The shogun wasn't fooled. She didn't care; she didn't want to impress a man like Naraku.

Lord Sesshoumaru wasn't impressed either. He wore a slight frown, as though he was trying to figure out which chapter of sword techniques she was using.

None of the geisha looked happy at Kagome's improvised dance.

The music started slowing, signalling a finish. Sliding her sword back into its sheath, she snapped her fan shut and slowly exited.

A maid followed her. "They want another dance, Kagome-san." As expected.

Kagome smiled in the dim light. Pulling out a gold leaf hair pin, she turned it, making it glimmer and shine.

"You're a pretty smart girl," said Kagome softly. "Surely you know the price of one of these leaves on the market?"

"I think so..." The maid was confused.

Kagome fingered the leaf, as though pondering something. "How would you like to go out, and dance for them? They would never know the difference, those drunken fools. This leaf could be yours..."

"I'm not sure, madam. Maybe it isn't a good idea. They -"

Sighing a stage sigh, Kagome began to put the leaf away. "It's alright, then. Forget I ever asked. It's only that I'm feeling a bit tired... Never mind, run along, tell them I'll be out shortly."

"But..." The leaf was tempting the maid more than she realized, thought Kagome.

"Never mind, I said. You can go now."

"I'm so sorry to offend Kagome-san," said the maid, bowing. "If I could reverse that..." She reached for the leaf.

"Good girl." _Some of Kikyo has rubbed off on me,_ thought Kagome ruefully. _I'm as sneaky and devilish as she is._ As the maid left, Kagome turned and hurried downstairs.

Sango was waiting. "You've taken ages!" she whispered. "Kaede's outside, waiting."

"I had trouble getting away," Kagome said apologetically. The street outside the teahouse was deserted. Probably the crowd had eventually given up, and went home. The guards were nowhere to be seen, but there was some rowdy noise coming from a smaller teahouse.

Outside the gate, Kaede emerged from dark shadows. "Slip these on, girls," she said, giving them each a cloak of black cloth. "If anyone comes searching they'll never see us."

Three horses stood patiently, not making even a tiny whinny or snort.

"Let's go," hissed Sango, and off they rode, into the night.

"That geisha is taking forever to appear!" commented Naraku sharply.

"A good thing too; look at them!" said Sesshoumaru mildly. All the men who weren't talking about Kagome were just plain slobbering.

Across the room, Miroku shook his head.

"She's gone," he said to Inuyasha.

"What makes you so sure of that?" Inuyasha asked, not too politely.

"Because it's the perfect escape opportunity. And if she were my sister, she'd be gone."

"So what are going to do about it?"

Miroku smiled. "Say... leave the party and follow them, hoping they haven't gone too far?"

The sky was a deep blue, with only the first few rays of sunlight peeking through from behind dark mountains. The small town before them was silent.

"We'll find an inn and stay," decided Kagome. "We've ridden all night; you all must be tired."

"Not a chance," laughed Sango. That was Sango – she loved her freedom. Given the option, she would choose to ride on rather than stay. But she knew, too, that Kaede could barely keep up with her pace.

"We need to look for work tomorrow too," sighed Kagome. Their money wouldn't last forever.

"Tomorrow," promised Sango as the horses stopped in front of an inn. A sleepy-eyed woman appeared.

"We're full," she yawned.

"Alright, then, thank you," Kagome said and started to turn away, Kaede following.

Sango grabbed them by the arms. "This is standard procedure," she whispered. "I'll handle it." In a loud voice she turned to the woman, a gold leaf appearing in her hands.

"I think the inn just next door will be happy to give us rooms," Sango said amicably.

The woman started, then frowned slightly. Coming to her senses, she plastered a large smile on her face and made room slightly for them in the doorway. "Come in, I must have been mistaken. There are stables in the back for animals, for an extra charge."

Sango snorted. "Yeah, extra charge. I guess then, the other inn would suit our needs better. I'm sure they would never charge for the horses."

In the end, when the mistress had tried to squeeze every cent out of them and failed, she had no choice but to let them in grudgingly.

"Who taught you to do this?" Kagome asked Sango in a low voice as they followed the woman to their room.

"Nobody. But I grew up with the country folks and learned a few tricks," Sango replied. "Remember, I only moved into your estate when we were twelve."

The woman opened a door, showed them inside and left them. It wasn't too bad inside; there was a reasonable amount of space and it was relatively clean.

"Too bad the owner is a bitch," sighed Kagome.

"Yeah. Did you see the way she was sulking, with her face like a, a... I don't know. It's too nasty to describe." Sango dumped their few belongings into one of the drawers provided.

They rolled out the futons stacked in a corner and fell onto them. _At least they are soft and warm_, decided Sango. If they weren't, she would go pick another quarrel with the owner.

That was, _after_ she slept.

"What makes you so sure she came here?" asked Inuyasha, looking at the town before him. They had left the geisha party soon after Kagome had been discovered missing.

Miroku was more confident. "Where else? I wouldn't head north, that's towards Naraku's territory. Every fool would stay away from there. The east is ruled by Kouga and Hojo. Seriously, wolves are not renown for their hospitality. And Hojo is a new lord, and hasn't yet expanded his territory. The most obvious choice would be to head west. And this _is_ the first town we've come across since heading westward," said Miroku patiently, like he was speaking to a small child.

"Fine, fine. So what do we do?"

"Hang around, dig for news of them. I think we'd hear if someone dressed like Kagome waltzed in and started a new life. And I think she had help. There was no way she could've left the party and assembled a horse or whatever she escaped in, then left. The whole of Gion would be out looking for her by that time. Probably, someone was outside, waiting for her."

"Smart, Miroku," said Inuyasha sarcastically. "A fool could've made that connection."

Miroku didn't look upset. "Let's go find an inn to stay in."

He marched over to the one closest to him and rapped the door.

"What the hell do you want?" yelled a woman from inside and banged open the door, her face twisted into a sour scowl.

"Nice lady," muttered Inuyasha, and stepped inside the same inn three women had entered just a few hours ago.

The next morning, Kagome and Sango had set out to explore their village, and in doign so got caught in a market morning. Around them, vendors swarmed with their wares and goods. At one stall a few chickens had run away; at another, a man had stolen a few apples.

"Hey, at least we can mingle with the crowd," Sango pointed out when Kaede rolled her eyes and scolded them for being so hasty to get out of the inn.

"Uh, bad news," said Kagome, ducking behind Sango. "Look who just came." She saw the same hanyou and priest that had been at the geisha party wandering near them.

"I doubt they'd recognize you," Sango said reassuringly. They were all wearing simple commoner's clothes. "Besides, they were probably half drunk last night."

Kaede begged to differ. It was not every day you saw an old woman with an eye patch accompanied by two girls, one looking like a lady dressed as a maid and the other wielding a huge weapon. She picked up Kagome's hands, soft and white. "Look at these. They have never worked."

"They have, too," cried Kagome indignantly. She didn't just sit around the house giving orders to servants, thank you very much. "Now, where did Sango go?"

"Just around the corner," Sango answered, walking back towards them. "I found this notice." She dangled the piece of paper in front of them.

A full-blown painting of Kagome in apprentice geisha regalia was plastered on the paper.

"You're wanted," said Sango wryly.

Kagome stared at the picture for awhile. It was an uncanny likeness of her.

"Any ideas?" asked Kaede. "People are already beginning to stare." Sure enough, a few passing villagers were staring strangely from Kagome to the notice, back to Kagome again.

"How did they get the notices up so fast?" Sango wondered aloud. Not to mention that it was unusual for geisha houses to put wanted notices up; they always kept runaways hushed up for fear of the publicity. Someone else had to be driving the search, probably someone political. She led them to a grey stone wall. "I think this is the town noticeboard," she said. Other announcements were pasted on it, too.

"Look at this one," Kagome said, tiptoeing and pulling a notice down, grinning widely. "This one's perfect for our job search!"

"Let me see," insisted Sango, taking the announcement.

_RECRUITING!!! Strong, young men wanted, to be trained as samurai. Salary will be discussed after a meeting with the commander. _

The rest was simply when and where to show up.

"Umm, Kagome," Kaede said, "they want _strong young men_."

"So?" asked Sango. "We're strong and young. That fits pretty much most of their criteria. Besides, that's a good place to hide."

"My thoughts exactly," added Kagome. "And if we become ninjas, samurai that spy, we get to wear masks. Even better."

"Hey, we could wear masks anyways. Start a trend or something," Sango shrugged.

"Very funny," said Kaede. "It's too dangerous and I won't allow it."

"Of course you'll come with us," Kagome replied. "I mean, a miko in a group of fighters won't be too uncommon. Men get injured. They need medical care, which, of course, mikos provide."

"And I suppose you think you're going to pull this off," huffed Kaede, but Kagome and Sango had already walked off to the recruitment camp.

"State your name and fighting experience," droned a bored little toad. Later, they learned his name was Jaken.

Kagome and Sango wore ninnja masks. Speaking from behind then was proving to be difficult. At least it muffled their voices, making them sound less like girls.

"Tanaka Kohaku," said Sango. "I've been trained as a taijiya."

"Youkai exterminator?" The lord wouldn't like that. Although the man looked healthy enough. Rough work and infantry training would do. The toad scribbled something on a scroll. "You?" he asked, jabbing his writing brush like a knife at Kagome.

"Higurashi Kei," Kagome made up quickly. "I was trained in close combat."

"Close combat?" Jaken didn't like the skinny look of this one either. "Well, you can join Tanaka with the infantry."

Kagome coughed. "Um, close combat, such as fencing..."

"I think I know what close combat is," interrupted the toad. "Now stop holding up the line. The infantry camp is over at the north section of the training grounds. Tonight, your commander Lord Hojo will be inspecting the men. I suggest you be less talkative. Good day." He signalled to the next man to come forward.

"Nice guy," muttered Sango.

"Completely," agreed Kagome sardonically. "Wasn't Lord Hojo at the geisha party?"

"Who knows? Who cares?"

"True," said Kagome, and made her way to the infantry grounds.

Mealtime at the infantry camp was proving a disaster.

"We're eating _this_?" asked Kagome, looking sick. She held a thick, wobbly mess in a chipped bowl.

"It's supposed to be nutritious," Sango reported, dumping hers into a brook nearby.

A loud cough could be heard before them.

"You do _not_ waste your rations," the same Jaken toad said sternly. "We are training you to protect the lands of your lord, but more importantly, we want you to be prepared for battle. War does not allow you to waste food in this manner."

Kagome was glad she was wearing a mask. If not for it, something vulgar might have slipped out.

"Jaken, stop lecturing," said a young man. He was soft and pale and looked hardly suited for fighting.

"You're the commander person, Hojo, I take it?" asked Kagome without thinking.

"_Lord_ Hojo," hissed Jaken.

Hojo smiled. "Yeah, Hojo. But I'm not really the commander. I'm training you all for Lord Sesshoumaru. He doesn't believe in recruiting samurai, but Jaken is trying to convince him it's the right idea. When Lord Sesshoumaru sees Jaken's progress he'll be pleased."

"I see," said Kagome politely. Hojo looked like a great scholar, and wasn't all that ugly either, but Kagome was guessing he probably weighed less than a sword. She wasn't even sure he knew how to ride a horse without getting thrown off, let alone train infantry.

An army for Lord Sesshoumaru, who did not know of its existence. Kagome could see how it was not going to work.

It was nearly time to close the recruitment bench, but two new men approached Jaken.

"State your name, and fighting skills," droned Jaken, more focused on the two new infantries he'd just recruited, Tanaka and Higurashi. He didn't like them, for some reason.

"I knew it was you!" yelled Inuyasha gleefully, whacking the toad on the head. "Only such a toad would put up a recruiting notice for samurai. Sesshoumaru will have your head, you ugly toad, when he hears what idiotic things you've done." He took the opportunity to deliver another punch to Jaken.

Jaken delivered the coldest glare he could muster in Inuyasha's direction.

"Your imitation of Sesshoumaru is pitiful," pronounced Inuyasha. "Now, who have you recruited today?" He snatched the scroll from Jaken. "Four people?" exploded Inuyasha. "You did better than I thought!"

Miroku, who had been listening, burst out laughing. "Who are they?"

"Tanaka Kohaku... Higurashi Kei... Higurashi sounds familiar." Inuyasha cocked his head to one side, trying to remember.

"That's my last name, you imbecile," Miroku said. "So, Jaken, how are you training your recruits?"

"Lord Hojo is assisting," Jaken answered, looking extremely furious at Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Fool!" exhaled Inuyasha. Lord Hojo was... scholarly on a good day. The other circles called him a coward. They'd better help the idiot Jaken before Sesshoumaru decided to serve up barbecued toad for supper.

Four recruits. Screw searching for Miroku's sister, they would be occupied for awhile now.

**End Chap 2**


	3. The HalfBaked Recruits

**A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers, especially people like PyslightlySycoh and Dana Daidouji who review almost all the time for all my stories. Thanks guys! And sorry if I delayed in updating, school and work was fucking my posting schedule up.**

**Chapter 3: The Half-baked Recruits**

Inuyasha strode up and down the line of men, eyeing each one. Miroku followed behind him, humming a little tune to himself.

The new recruits weren't a very uplifting sight. If they weren't disfigured, they were ugly, if they weren't ugly, they were fat, if they weren't fat, they were downright scrawny.

He paused in front of two such men, both masked behind ninja masks.

"Names?" barked Inuyasha.

"Tanaka Kohaku and Higurashi Kei," replied Kagome, remembering the hanyou. Unfortunately he seemed to be a lot tougher than Lord Hojo. Even his companion, the priest looked like he could fight a little. Kagome wasn't looking forward to training under them.

"Oh!" exclaimed Miroku, like he just understood. "The ones Jaken said were weak! I'm a Higurashi, too," he told Kagome. Higurashi men were certainly not weak. Jaken would pay for that.

Sango wasn't paying attention to his last sentence at all; in fact, she was glaring hard. "What do you mean, that _toad_ Jaken said _we_ were _weak_? How dare he!"

"You're not weak, eh?" drawled Inuyasha. "Well, I'm not sure about that. But I do know one thing – Tanaka, you're a loudmouth, and Higurashi – you do look pretty wimpy."

"Who's wimpy?" hissed Kagome. "Are you trying to pick a fight?"

"Why not?" smirked Inuyasha. "Pick a weapon of your choice. I'll only use a sword."

Kagome's eyes flew to his sword sheath. It looked familiar, like one of the ones she'd studied with her old tutor Myouga when they learned about legendary blades and the stories behind them.

"Tetsusaiga?" taunted Kagome. "The legendary, hundred-youkai-in-one-swing sword? You need _that_ to beat me?"

She disappeared into a tent while the guys tried not to gawk.

"How does she know Tetsusaiga?" Inuyasha whispered to Miroku. "Only nobles are taught about that. Oi!" he called after her. "The armoury tent is to the left, you idiot!"

Kagome came out of one of the sleeping tents, holding two slim, gleaming blades. Not standard armoury issue, and obviously a personal weapon.

"Inuyasha," whispered Miroku urgently. "Don't meddle with those swords. Those -"

But Inuyasha had already taken a swing. Kagome crossed her swords as a form of a shield, making his attack fizzle away to nothing.

"That was the wound of the wind!" yelled Inuyasha. "How'd you block _that_?"

Kagome wasn't listening. "You cheater!" she shrieked back. "You used magic!"

"Hey, calm down!" roared Miroku. Kagome glared at Inuyasha, then started to storm off. Miroku, however, grabbed her arm.

"We'll have a little chat," he said softly.

He moved her a few paces off where they could talk alone. Miroku was very, very interested in knowing how this person had gotten hold of those blades, especially when they happened to be similar to a legendary Higurashi family heirloom that had gotten stolen years ago. They had been forged by a master swordsmith, and infused with holy powers from the Higurashi line. Whether or not the blades were the Higurashi swords Miroku could not tell, but the swords were rare enough that anyone who had them had to have a story behind them.

"They're my swords," snapped Kagome defiantly before Miroku could say a word. "Is there a problem?"

Miroku frowned thoughtfully at her. "Who _are_ you? How did you recognize Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga?"

Kagome, or Kei, shrugged nonchalantly. "Anyone would recognize such a famous sword. I take it you recognized _my_ swords." She held them out to him, as though daring him to take them. "Elemental swords. Others call them ying and yang swords; though opposites of each other, they work together in harmony. Some call them heaven-and-earth blades, fire-and-water swords... I just call them sharp knives."

At least this Higurashi guy knew what he was talking about, mused Miroku. If there was anything worse than amateurs holding good swords, it was amateurs holding good swords they didn't know anything about. Then again, Higurashi didn't look like an amateur.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he watched Miroku and the new recruit deep in discussion. He muttered a curse. For a moment, he wondered if that Higurashi was related to Miroku as well. After all, both had the same last name, and both loved to deliver long documentaries on trivial topics. Maybe Miroku had a long-lost brother too.

Either way, those 'recruits' were in no way as half-baked as Jaken made them out to be. Especially those two 'weak' ones, Tanaka and Higurashi - they were small, but they were certainly not the type to get bullied. Inuyasha knew something was off, but he still couldn't put a finger on it...

Miroku interrupted his musings. "I still don't see how Higurashi could have gotten those swords... My father gave them to my sister ages ago, but according to my step mother they were stolen in a fire..." He was still positive they were exactly like the ones in his family. Maybe Higurashi had gotten the swords from whomever that stole those swords from his sister. In which case, the man might have news of her. That would be worth investigating.

Inuyasha shivered. "I don't want to have to train those recruits. That Tanaka Kohaku looks capable of murdering strong demons." Miroku probably hadn't noticed anything about the two swords he was obsessing over, but Inuyasha had seen with his own eyes the massive bone boomerang Kohaku was getting ready to trounce them with.

"Nobody told you to train anyone," said Miroku absently. He had his own work cut out for him to find his sister.

Nevertheless there was nothing that could be done for now. Miroku had nowhere to go and since Inuyasha was determined to hang around Jaken's camp, they ended up with the bunch of recruits the next morning, wilting on the training grounds. Jaken had kindly divided the lot into groups according to size.

Inuyasha yawned and assumed a _very_ bored tone. "Listen up, the scrawny group follows Miroku. The regular group follows Hojo. The sumo wrestlers will kindly follow me."

"Ok, my group, chop chop, follow me," chirped Miroku in a brilliantly false display of energy. There was definitely no enthusiasm coming from this lot. He led a grumbling group, Sango and Kagome included, out of the camp area.

They started by fighting their way through unruly shrubs. When Kagome yanked the last twig from her hair, she was rewarded with a large pool of swampy mud.

"What next?" grumbled Kagome to Sango near the end of the swamp, with mud splattered all over her legs.

"Um, river," said Sango, pointing to a wide creek. "Maybe this army thing wasn't such a good idea after all."

"At least the water gets the mud off," sighed Kagome, taking a tentative step into the water. Icy coldness swirled around her legs, numbing her effectively.

"It's only autumn. Why is it so damned cold?" hissed Sango, teeth chattering.

Ten minutes later, they were singing a different tune.

"God it's sweltering!" groaned Kagome as they started hiked up a steep hill. Miroku had thought it was a good idea for them to haul sacks of wet cotton up the hill, too. Sweat poured down her back – Kagome was sure it looked like a waterfall back there.

"Honestly, I see no point in these exercises," said Sango through gritted teeth. Perhaps she wasn't suffering as much as Kagome was, but still; beads of perspiration were forming quickly on her forehead. There was no sun; instead, the sky was a very demoralizing dull grey. The air was thick with moisture, simply adding to the heat of the place.

Miroku, with no cotton sack to lug, had hopped far ahead.

"Bastard," muttered Sango. "I'd like to see him try and even pick up one of these."

"Give me a shove," murmured Kagome. "I'll gladly fall off this hill and die."

"Kaede will have my hide, then," Sango said grimly.

Kagome glared at the ground, an idea racing through her head. "We'll dump out the cotton and wait for it to dry." Saying so, Kagome slammed her bag onto the earth and started shaking blobs of cotton out. Sango quickly followed suit.

They could literally see the water vapour rising from the drying cotton.

"What the hell are you doing?" inquired Miroku, who'd already stared his descent down the hill. Now he backtracked to stare at them.

"Drying the cotton," said Kagome saucily. "You gave us bags too heavy to lift – we're lightening the load."

"Who gave you permission for that?" asked Miroku, his voice becoming dangerously soft.

"It wasn't you, sir," Kagome retorted cheekily, without thinking.

Recruits were recruits, and in the end Miroku had to report them to Jaken, who had the last word. There was nothing like making recruits skip a few meals to keep them in their place, that was standard samurai training procedure. Or so Jaken thought...

"Banning us from dinner tonight?" huffed Sango. "Did he honestly think we would eat that shit in the first place?"

"Men!" fumed Kagome besides her. "They only think of their stomachs and... well, that other thing."

Sango grimaced playfully. "I don't want to know," she said.

They sat glumly on the grass, the night sky sparkling overhead. The afternoon's activities had been far from relaxing, and had left them coated in a layer of grime. Once everyone fell asleep they would sneak out to bathe, though waiting up was painfully exhausting.

"Jaken says lights out now," said Inuyasha, stepping before them.

"I say screw Jaken," Sango said.

"Nobody would want to," Kagome pointed out.

Inuyasha made no move to go, and simply flopped down next to them.

"Uh..." Kagome attempted small talk. "Is this like, a commander-recruit hangout time?"

"Not really," said Inuyasha shortly. "I need to think."

"About what?"

He started, not expecting such a question from a mere trainee samurai.

"Well, you know the emperor died, right?" asked Inuyasha.

Sango choked on her own spit. This was what their superior officer wanted to _think_ about? Either he was an excessively thoughtful person, which Inuyasha did not seem like, or he was connected to an extremely important political figure.

"Yeah," said Kagome. She could see how Inuyasha would be affected. "What's your brother going to do about it?" His surprised expression made her realize that he probably wasn't expecting a common recruit to know about Inuyasha's relation to the Lord of the Western Lands, and Kagome vainly tried to backpedal. "I mean, everyone knows you're Lord Sesshoumaru's brother, it's like general knowledge..."

Her general knowledge scared him. Inuyasha sighed. "Ok, really, I shouldn't be discussing this with you. Jaken will have my head... Well, I'm not sure what my brother will do. He doesn't seem at all interested in claiming the throne, yet Miroku thinks the opposite. If Sesshoumaru – my brother – becomes emperor... Japan will change drastically."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You know, you're stating the obvious. I've seen your brother. Can you imagine him sitting in Kyoto, sipping tea and praying to the heavens? Do you think he would sit quiet and become a religious leader?"

"No," said Inuyasha. He had to admit that, and this had nothing to do with the fact that he was not the best of friends with Sesshoumaru, even an uneducated peasant would take a look at Sesshoumaru and realize the man was _not_ a religious figurehead. But Miroku's calculations and guesses had yet to prove themselves wrong in the long time they'd been best friends.

"What's the deal with the priest, anyway?" Kagome asked, wary of the intelligent eyes that had recognized her swords from before.

"He's looking for his sister." Inuyasha blurted the words out before he realized that maybe Miroku didn't want anyone else to know.

"What is she like?" asked Kagome.

"Very beautiful. We think we met her in Kyoto but she didn't know who we were. Now we've lost her and –" He cut himself off abruptly. Miroku would kill him. "I should be going. You can speak to Miroku about it if you'd like." Inuyasha hastily excused himself. The sooner he left the better; there was no saying what other information would come from his lips.

The next morning proved even less productive.

"Jaken has doubts of your intelligence," announced Miroku. "He insists that you all do a test on general knowledge."

The general group of men grumbled and groaned, Kagome and Sango among them. The girls weren't complaining about any tests, but after their chat with Inuyasha last night they'd been too tired to bathe, and had went to sleep. Both were convinced they smelt like... latrine pits, or something equally bad.

Inuyasha handed out worn brushes, crumpled paper and ink wells. Kagome rolled her eyes – she doubted even half the men knew how to write. And really, the brushes they were being given looked like a few strands of horse's hair attached to a twig of wood.

"First, write your name," instructed Miroku.

"Like, this is _such_ a difficult task," whispered Sango to Kagome.

As Kagome predicted, half the men hovered over their papers, uncertain of how to proceed. The other half grinned sluggishly and bent diligently over their papers – half of _those_ didn't bother writing their last names, while the other half doodled illegible hiragana scripts.

This went on for a painful two hours. At last, when Kagome's paper was filled with senseless information like when she was born and where, Inuyasha collected the sheets. Some men, not surprisingly, still had blank bits of paper.

"You may have the rest of the afternoon off while I mark these," said Miroku helplessly at the end. Logically, with all the men who turned in empty sheets, he only had very little to do. That said, the few men that did write something scrawled messy words, which would take Miroku ages to figure out.

As they walked back to the camp, Sango rolled her eyes. "How old are you?" she said sarcastically.

"Very young, thank you," replied Kagome indulgently. She crawled into the tent she shared with Sango.

"They are such total idiots!"

"Agreed," sighed Kagome.

"What were the questions again? Right, how much did I weigh. Who were my parents. What I was doing before joining the army. What gender was I..." Sango trailed off, her mouth opening in horror.

Kagome gulped, understanding. She'd made the same mistake, too.

"Did you say... 'female' for gender?" asked Sango after a prolonged silence.

"Yeah..." mumbled Kagome.

They were interrupted by one of the recruits opening their tent flap.

"Miroku-sama wants to see you both," he said. "Jaken's livid about something and Inuyasha-sama won't stop laughing."

"We'll be there soon..." said Sango, swallowing hard.

They were in so much trouble.

* * *

Back in Kyoto, the geisha Kikyo was not having her best day either.

"How could she slip off from right under your nose!?" yelled the geisha house mother. "Kikyo, I put you in charge of Kagome. Have you _any_ idea how much it cost me to buy her! _Not_ the average seventy-five yen a fishing village girl would cost!"

"What would you have had me do?" Kikyo screamed. "The men were asking her for another dance. She agreed. Was I to spoil the mood and tell them 'no'?"

"Well, what in heaven's name possessed you to not follow her to the costume change room?"

The mother was met with a silence. She understood immediately, and delivered a stinging slap to the geisha in front of her.

"You were busy flirting with one of the lords, weren't you?" hissed the mother, letting blow after blow land on Kikyo indiscriminately. "Which one? Kouga? Hojo? Oh, don't tell me it was the shogun. It was? The shogun!?" shrieked the mother. "The _shogun_? Have you _any_ idea how _evil_ that man is? He'll tear down my okiya, you stupid girl! Oh, heavens!"

"Will you stop shouting?" yelled Kikyo. "There's worse news, okay! Lords Kouga, Hojo and the shogun have asked for her. Lord Hojo went to command troops, but Lord Kouga won't stop making inquiries. And the shogun's so furious, he -"

"Shut up! Save your ramblings for another day! I'm going to the temple to pray to the gods; you'd better come along, you stupid witch!"

"Like hell I will," snapped Kikyo. She was going to put on her makeup. When the shogun came around to ask for Kagome, Kikyo would be the one to comfort him when she told Naraku Kagome was nowhere to be found.

* * *

Uneasily, Kagome and Sango sought out Miroku and Inuyasha, who were with Jaken.

"You know why I asked you here?" asked Miroku.

"To tell us how rude we've been?" Sango answered.

"That too," Miroku said thoughtfully. "However..."

"Why do I not like the sound of that?" muttered Kagome to Sango.

Jaken, who had been pacing impatiently, snapped, "Miroku means, why the hell did you say you two were women when you're obviously not?"

"My mistake," Sango said. "I must have mixed up the characters for man and woman."

Kagome gave her excuse. "I was annoyed by the silly easy questions," she said. "I decided to fool around a bit, see if you could catch the joke. Obviously not," she said throwing a scowl to Jaken.

Inuyasha was still busy guffawing. Miroku bit his lip and pretended not to laugh. Hojo, who they hadn't noticed, sat quietly, trembling with suppressed mirth. Jaken seemed outraged and waved his Staff of Heads around haplessly.

"Ok, you two," Miroku said sternly. "I want no more nonsense. Next time, you don't tell lies, understood?"

"Yes, teacher. By the way, when does class end?" asked Sango sarcastically.

Miroku smirked. "I like you two. Let's say... for a treat, we go to the local teahouse?"

* * *

**Japanese Vocab:**

Okiya – The geisha house where geisha lived. For anyone interested, ochaya is the teahouse where geisha worked.


	4. My Brother

**A/N: Ok, no annoying author's notes this time. What? Oh, you mean this was an A/N? Sorry, didn't realize! P.S. I feel like writing a disclaimer today. Here goes...**

**I do not own Inuyasha, or Kagome, or Kikyo, or Sango. I only own Miroku and Sesshoumaru! Ok, just kidding! I owe none of it...  
**

**Restarts: I do not own the anime Inuyasha. I own only a Sesshoumaru chibi doll and fifty posters. ((Sweat drop))**

**Chapter 4: My Brother**

Miroku's offer was... kind, but Kagome didn't particularly feel like going to a teahouse with genuine men. After all, she had no idea how to act the sleazy customer. And worse, what if the trip to teahouse ended with a trip to the whorehouse, then she and Sango would really be in trouble.

"No thank you," said Kagome quickly in response. "If we went with you to a teahouse, the men would see it as favouritism. I wouldn't want that."

"Me neither," echoed Sango, sensing a potential dangerous situation.

Miroku refused to take no for an answer. Here was the perfect opportunity to dig answers out of Higurashi and Tanaka. "Nonsense," he said breezily. "Come on, let's get moving. Kagura's waiting. Inuyasha, you too."

"Who?" spluttered Inuyasha. "That evil, cold bitch who -"

"You're scaring Kei and Kohaku," warned Miroku. "Kagura's a lovely woman," he told the two.

"I'm sure she is." Sango smiled weakly.

* * *

Kagura was, indeed, a lovely woman. If you defined lovely as, lovely to look at.

At the moment she was throwing a fit only rivalled by Kikyo's tantrums.

"She's been like this all day," said the teahouse mistress, apologizing.

"I have not!" snapped Kagura. "It was only after that stupid bitch Kanna spilt tea on me that I yelled at her."

Honestly, the standards these days. Absolutely appalling. Kagura certainly had never been allowed to spill tea on even the table as an apprentice geisha, and now that some silly little girl had scalded her, it was _too harsh_ to tell the chit off.

"Kagura darling, do calm down," said Miroku easily. Placing a gentlemanly hand on her burnt wrist, he began stroking it softly as Kagome and Sango gaped and looked away at the same time. Inuyasha scoffed at Miroku and called for music.

A pale girl in a white kimono began to blow on a flute. Kagura cast dirty glares at her occasionally; it had to be Kanna.

"So, how have you been since we last met?" Miroku asked by way of conversation.

Kagura shrugged. "Fine. Still surviving in this hellish place." Miroku was not one of her regulars per se, he was always out travelling around Japan, but Kagura knew him very well. You could say he was a favourite of hers, and he knew it in the cocky attitude he always adopted around her. This she found charming.

"Any luck with finding a _danna_?" Miroku asked, winking at Inuyasha.

She looked distasteful. "Plenty of offers... but I turned all those miserable twits down. I refuse to play mistress to stupid rich-asses."

"What's with all the geisha nowadays? Rude like hell and insufferable," grumbled Inuyasha. There was the geisha they had met in Kyoto, the one Miroku thought was his sister... man, she had major attitude problems. So did her older sister, was it Kikyo or Kikuko, he couldn't recall. "Miroku, what was her name again? The one at the party? She totally unnerved Naraku and then ran away. Kagame? Gome?"

"Kagome, you idiot," said Miroku, trying to sit Kagura in his lap and earning a slap for it.

"What was she? A lord's daughter or something... boy, she sure gave Kikyo hell." Inuyasha grinned at the memory.

Kagura sneered. "Probably served that slut Kikyo right, too. She was _all_ over the shogun when he came to a party here. Kikyo could screw every man alive and still want more."

"Not very nice, are you?" said Inuyasha. "...But I'd have to agree."

"Oh Inu-chan's in love with Kikyo aren't you," taunted Kagura. "Well, Miroku, you'd better introduce me to your two friends." She inclined her head flirtatiously at Kagome and Sango. The two girls had no doubt had they been men, they would be head over heels already.

"This is Higurashi Kei and Tanaka Kohaku," said Miroku. "Jaken was recruiting men and they showed up."

"These two?" snorted Kagura, raking her eyes over the two tiny men in front of her and not really buying the 'men' part. "Don't look like raw samurai material to me... Hey, you two. Why the masks?"

"It's a trademark of theirs," shrugged Miroku. They did wear it all the time, after all.

Kagura raised an eyebrow. She then smiled.

"I think I've taken a certain liking to you two," she grinned. "Come on, to the bedrooms."

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea," Kagome said, eyes darting wildly to the exit. "I mean, we've got duties at the recruitment camp and all that..."

"Nonsense," said Kagura, getting to her feet. "I insist. Miroku, back me up."

Miroku sucked in his breath, jealous. "Well, Kagura won't even accept me, I suppose it's an honour if she takes a liking to you..."

Before Kagome could protest again Kagura had half-dragged Kagome out of the room, to great howls of laughter from Miroku and Inuyasha.

They went across a corridor, into another room, where Kagura promptly shut the door and glared suspiciously at Kagome.

"What?" asked Kagome, confused.

"Ok, so you're a girl. Mind telling me a bit about yourself? Maybe even take off that mask?"

Kagome blushed, jaw dropping a little. "Huh? How'd you -"

"Guess?" Kagura simply reached forward and pulled the mask off Kagome. For somebody who was so slim and delicate, she seemed rather strong. "Well, for one, you didn't look happy to be here, with me, the most beautiful geisha in all of Japan. And your hands," scoffed Kagura. "Those hands are meant for pouring tea and playing a shamisen, not fighting."

"Oh," said Kagome, hiding her hands behind her back.

Kagura paced a bit. "So why did you answer the recruit call? No, I think I know." She reached for a shelf, and took down a scroll. Unrolling it, she pushed Kagome in front of a full-length mirror and placed the scroll next to her.

"See the likeness?" asked Kagura. Kagome squinted. It was a painting done of her a few days before her father died, not too long ago.

"Well, now we have a lord's daughter traipsing around an army of uncouth men. So what made you leave your home? Oh, and don't get me wrong, I'm merely curious. You see, I was _forced_ to leave my home, and I always wonder why people leave theirs by choice."

"A simple reason," spat Kagome bitterly. "Haven't you seen one of the posters in town?"

"Like, this?" Kagura unrolled another picture, but it was made of flimsy paper. It was one of the 'Wanted' notices hanging around the area. Kagura flipped it over and read it.

"Kyoto geisha runs away... whoever returns her will receive a reward in gold... You ran away?" asked Kagura, new respect in her voice. "I tried, but they brought me back. They were going to beat me but they decided against it and starved me instead."

"Well, I had it easy," Kagome explained softly. "I had two accomplices. Besides, they could never really make me conform to their rules. After all, I didn't look too kindly on nasty old women trying to comb wax through my hair."

"Me neither," laughed Kagura. Her hair was beautifully decorated with a few feathers, and had no sign of fancy combs and rice husks that geisha so loved to use. She began putting the pictures of Kagome away.

"So, you know Miroku's looking for his sister?" Kagura asked.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. I'm not sure... but I think he thinks it's me. Though that's impossible."

"You really think so?" Kagura said. She paused for a while, then continued. "I know Miroku very well, better than he knows himself. If he thinks something is right, it probably _is_ right. I'm sure everything will become clearer in the end."

"Well, we'd better get back. Sango, I mean, Kohaku, no... Sango's a girl too... She'll be wondering where I am."

"Oh, just sleeping with one of the prettiest women in Japan," laughed Kagura. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

* * *

"Took you two awhile," grinned Miroku, sending Kagura a knowing wink when they rejoined the guys and Sango.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she said haughtily.

"This is getting boring," complained Inuyasha. The other geisha who dropped in to chat to them were freaking ugly as far as he was concerned.

"Right. And I'm getting tired. Goodbye, gentlemen. You can leave now." Kagura rapped the table with her folding fan impatiently.

Sango leapt up and grabbed Kagome into the hall outside. Inuyasha bounded out behind them. Miroku lingered.

"Did you find out anything about that Kei?" he asked.

"Go mind your own business," said Kagura. "You owe me a big favour, for sleeping with your friend."

"Yes, Kagura," sighed Miroku. "So what did you find out about him?"

"Hell, I'm not telling you," cursed Kagura.

"Uhh... Kagura? That's why I asked you for help in the first place. You know, pillow talk, the kind of things you geisha are good at..."

"Go ask him yourself," said Kagura. "You know, commander-to-recruit talk, the kind of things you army people are good at," she added sarcastically.

"That's right, Kagura," muttered Miroku through gritted teeth. "Show us your lovely hospitable manners and humor."

* * *

"What did you two do in there?" demanded Sango when Kagome and her were alone.

"Nothing," said Kagome flatly. "She knows, Sango. She's smart, and she figured it out. She knows just about everything."

"But how -" Sango began.j

Kagome had bigger news. "And she thinks I'm related to Miroku."

"What?!"

"I know," said Kagome in a low voice, wary of the sharp hearing of a hanyou in front of them. "The very idea is ludicrous. How could a travelling priest be related to me, in any way? Besides, I've never been told I have a brother."

Sango didn't think it was _that_ unlikely. "You've got the same last names, I'd have to say. If a noble family is a certain name, it's unlikely any other commoner will have that name."

"Yes, true. But the Higurashi clan is widespread throughout Japan. Generations ago, a branch of the clan could've become commoners through bankruptcy or something," argued Kagome.

"Nonsense. Now, that priest looks, acts, and even probably _thinks_, aristocratic. Speaking of looks..." Sango trailed off, a faraway look in her eye.

"Shut up! Oh my god. You fancy Miroku!" gasped Kagome, a grin tugging at her lips.

"I do not!" snapped Sango. "Well, there is only one way to find out whether Miroku is your brother or not."

"And that would be..." Kagome said.

"The tattoo on your left shoulder; above your heart, remember? The character for 'love' which glows gold? I've seen it when you bathe. Now, if Miroku is your brother, he should have one too."

Kagome started excitedly. "True... if I remember correctly, the men wore their character tattoos on their arms, while the girls got them in less conspicuous places. If we could somehow catch a glimpse of his arm..."

"Umm... Kagome? I'm glad for you, if he's your brother, but are you sure you're not getting to worked up over this? I mean, it's great you're not an only child anymore, but still. We are hiding from the rest of Japan, if you get my point."

"Oh, but don't you see?" asked Kagome. "Right now, my stepmother controls the Higurashi estates in Kyoto. Technically, she had no claims to the land; they should've gone to the closest men relations or myself. Seeing as there are no men, all of whom are dead, the property went to me. But acting as my guardian, my stepmother easily gained control and threw me out so she could have free reign over the estates."

"Your point being?" Sango hurried forward; they might lose Inuyasha if they kept stopping to talk.

"Well, if I have a brother, all the estates will go to him. No matter how young he may be, if he's male, there's no need for a guardian at all. He'll take control, and then I'll be able to return home, and so will you."

* * *

"Today, we do hand-to-hand combat practice," Inuyasha said to the assembled recruits. Already the 'scrawny' bunch of men were toughening up, thanks to Miroku's training. That was to say, all the men, except those two (the scrawniest of the lot, too), Kei and Kohaku.

Miroku paced up and down the line of men. "I assume all of you have done some work in this area. Be it fighting away robbers stealing your chickens, exchanging kicks with your village boys, or punching your corn to make it grow; I don't care. We start by assessing your skills in such fighting. Inuyasha and I, and maybe Hojo, will go round you all. You will then engage into a short fight with -"

"Spare us the lecture!" grumbled Inuyasha. "The men aren't stupid, they can figure it out! Ok, let's start."

They broke off into small groups. In Kagome's little group, Sango was the first to get selected against Miroku.

It was short, but not a waste of time. Sango, instead of concentrating on his blows and throwing some back, was set on uncovering at least one of his arms.

She blocked his hits easily, occasionally throwing a kick or elbow back. At one point, as he arm came up to block her...

His sleeve came up with it. Quickly, Sango yanked hard on the material under the pretext of landing a blow.

From his wrist onwards, the expanse of his forearm was completely unmarked. Sango would've gone on to reveal the other arm too, except...

"Ok, we're done," said Miroku. He hated to admit it, but this Tanaka had given him nearly cause for sweat. "Next!"

"His left arm's clean," whispered Sango to Kagome as she rejoined the rest of the recruits

"Ok, I'll check the right," she whispered back.

When it was her turn, Kagome stepped forward, carefully surveying her opponent.

Miroku was bigger, and stronger. But with any luck, she was faster.

The attacks came raining down, more intense than any of the men had faced. The moves Kagome's old teacher had taught her came flooding back to her. A punch came, directed right in the middle, below her ribcage. Years of practise in the dojo had seasoned Kagome's reflexes. She'd memorized all the moves, and had been forced to be able to recap the counter-blow for each one on the spur of the moment.

Instinctively, she stepped a leg backwards for balance. Her arms flew in coordinated arcs towards Miroku's fist. One, she blocked the blow with. Another, she used to fly towards his unprotected shoulders.

With ease, his free hand came up to stop her. Perfect opportunity.

The wind was on Kagome's side, and it flapped his sleeve around, finally making it gather at the crook of his inner arm.

A neat 'intelligence' character, faintly glowing purple, shone brightly at Kagome.

* * *

She had a brother. She had a brother!

"Well?" asked Sango later on. "Aren't you going to tell him you're his sister?"

"No," said Kagome after a while, snapping out of her daydreams. "I've been thinking about it, and I don't think it would be a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because if he could claim back his rightful estates, he would have done so by now. Obviously, he is waiting for a reason. It wouldn't be fair for me to tell him, not before he reclaims his land."

_In Miroku's tent..._

"So, why are you looking for your sister anyways, Miroku?" Inuyasha wanted to know.

Miroku rolled his eyes, nursing a few bruises Higurashi and Tanaka had landed on him. "We've been through this before. Because she's my sister."

"Well, I meant, why don't you go back to your clan, take control from your stepmother who is currently controlling everything, and _then_ look for your sister?"

"Simple. Reason being, nobody knows me there, except for one or two old servants who have probably died already. However, everyone would probably know my sister. If she vouched for me on my return, it would be a much smoother process altogether."

"Even so, you'll have people loyal to your stepmother who won't give up the land that easily."

"I know. But with my sister's help I can convince more people."

Inuyasha shook his head and sighed. "You'll never find her. If she's half as smart as you make her out to be, she'll have disappeared from man's reach already."

"That, I am aware of. She could've gone far, far away. Or she could be right under our noses. The most dangerous place can sometimes be the safest, after all."

* * *

"The most dangerous place can be the safest, after all," lectured Hojo. "The shogun would probably be plotting in a place we'll never think of."

"What would _you_ know of such tactics?" challenged Kouga. "I say we capture that cad of a shogun before he tries to seize the throne."

"There are currently five major daimyo families," continued Hojo. "That would be the shogun, the Taisho clan, the Higurashi clan, Kouga's tribe and myself. The shogun wants to become Emperor of Japan. If that happens, Japan will cease to exist as we know it. I admit, my clan is still rising and I have few loyal forces. If we were to keep the throne out of Naraku's reach, we need to become allies with each other."

"You can count the Taisho clan out!" blustered Jaken. Of the small meeting of four, the only lords present were Hojo and Kouga. Sesshoumaru had sent Jaken. Kagome's stepmother couldn't well appear at a meeting as a woman, so a representative, Bankotsu, had been sent.

"Jaken, stop jumping into silly conclusions," said Kouga. "The Taisho and Higurashi clans may be able to hold their own should Naraku try and take power. However, it's unlikely Hojo will survive without their help, which is why he has called this fruitless meeting."

"Neither will you, wimpy wolf," said Bankotsu scornfully. "Both of you – maybe there shouldn't be _five_ major daimyo. Three, more like."

"Shut your face!" yelled Kouga. "I never thought the Higurashi clan would sink so low as to put a woman in charge!"

"They haven't sunk at all," said a cool voice from behind them.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" cried Jaken. "Just the person we needed to see! You have graced us with your presence and -"

"Shut up." Sesshoumaru smoothly filled Jaken's place on the tatami mats as the toad scampered out the door. "Carry on, Kouga. What was it about the Higurashi clan?"

"Well, maybe Bankotsu might like to change the _three_ major daimyo to _two_. In all Japan's history there has never been a woman, not a blood descendant, in charge! And seeing as there are no heirs..."

"There are," interrupted Hojo. "There's the daughter they sold."

"They sold her to eradicate all heirs!" Kouga began yelling again. "Lady Higurashi was the one obstacle in their path, so they got rid of her!"

"What do you mean, obstacle?" fumed Bankotsu.

"Even if there were no males, any blood descendant would inherit the lands! But the late Lord Higurashi's second wife wanted control. She ordered her stepdaughter sold, what part of that do you not comprehend?"

"I hate to correct such passionate statements," Sesshoumaru said icily. "But there _are_ heirs to the Higurashi title. One, the lady you have spoken of. Another, a traveling priest."

"A traveling priest?" shouted Bankotsu. "How could a _traveling priest_ be related to the Higurashi bloodline?"

"Lord Higurashi's second wife, on marrying into the family, made sure to get rid of his sons, should they stand in the way of _her _future sons. She sent the one boy to a monastery, and covered up her tracks skillfully. She never dreamed she would be barren. So when the lord died, she was left with no heirs at all, not even a girl to contest Higurashi Kagome's claim," stated Sesshoumaru.

"And how come the boy didn't step out to claim his property?" demanded Bankotsu.

"Because he has no proof of his identity," said Hojo. "Anyone each stick a tattoo on and claim to be Higurashi relatives. The only person right now with valid claim in the eyes of the people, is Lady Higurashi. And she won't be returning too soon. Legally she is the property of the okiya that bought her, and we have no power to shield or protect her, unless we buy her from the okiya. And they'll never sell – she would make them so much money no amount will make them give her up."

"Unless their lives are threatened," said Bankotsu. "If restoring Lady Higurashi can help us keep Naraku at bay... I think we can work out a way to get the okiya's cooperation."


	5. Kaede's Story

**Chapter 5: Kaede's Story**

"Thank you for offering to look the men over," said Miroku, bowing to the elderly miko who had offered to act as a healer for the recruits. It was so fortunate that the miko Kaede had been passing by the town and heard about their camp, and was willing to help them.

It would never have occurred to him that the miko had ulterior motives.

"Not at all," Kaede smiled. "It is my honour and duty to do so."

"Keh!" snorted Inuyasha. He didn't buy any of the miko-spiritual-healing nonsense; rather, he believed in not falling sick in the first place. "We're all healthy, thank you very much."

"It'll do no harm to have a miko look them over," argued Miroku. "Not every one has hanyou strength, Inuyasha."

In the end, Miroku won the argument, and Inuyasha sulked while Kaede made her rounds on the tents.

"First a miko, what next?" he grumbled. "A cook? Or maybe a nanny?"

* * *

Naturally Kaede made her stop at the girls' tent. Kagome and Sango were sprawled onto sleeping mats in the most unladylike fashion.

"How have you two been?" she asked, dismayed to see them looking so exhausted.

"Kaede! How did you get here?" The pleased surprise showed in Kagome's voice.

"We're doing very well, just a bit tired and starved." Sango added in answer Kaede's question. "The food's horrible here."

Well, what had these girls expected, signing themselves off to some male-run camp? Kaede sighed, and took pity on them. "Well, I'm sure I could always report to the commanders that the men show signs of malnutrition..." Kaede said, pretending to thinking hard.

"Please do," chortled Sango.

"I have a brother!" sang Kagome, eager to share the news.

"She's been ranting about it every second of the day since she found out," Sango told Kaede.

"A brother?" asked Kaede, shocked. "Who told you?" The servants had all been banned from speaking on pain of death.

"Wait, who told me?" Kagome fixed a questioning gaze on her old nurse. "Kaede, do you know something?"

The old miko tried to look away, but Kagome wouldn't let her. Kaede sighed again. "I really shouldn't be saying anything. The mistress gave us instructions not to..."

"What mistress?" demanded Kagome. "My step-mother? The one that threw us out?"

"Hell, Kaede, she's not in control anymore," added Sango.

"Well, still... we swore an oath..." Mikos did not just renege on oaths so easily. Kaede tried to make them, understand.

"To hell with oaths! Please, Kaede...?" wheedled Kagome.

The miko rolled her eyes. "Ok, but just this once. You're never going to take advantage of me again." How could she help it? Kaede had nursed Kagome from infancy as her lord's daughter; anything Kagome said was law, despite Kaede's best attempts to teach the girl the right way of doing things.

She took awhile settling herself on the floor. When Kaede was comfortable, she began her tale.

"Your mother, Kagome," she started, "died when you were a few months old. Many thought, and still think, she was murdered, but at that time there was no evidence to prove it. She was buried with appropriate ceremonies and processions.

"Then, a vicious lady appeared in the courts of my lord Higurashi. She first appeared sweet and demure. He was too busy grieving – he paid her no attention. Incensed, she held you and your brother, and threatened to kill you two if he didn't marry her.

"And marry her he did. Not long after the wedding, your father left for a month-long conference in the Western Lands. I told him to take his son along," sighed Kaede. "But he didn't want a three-year-old son following him to an important daimyo meeting. I can't blame him. If I were asked to bring a child along to say... a prayer gathering, I wouldn't.

"Your stepmother had yet to conceive, but she wasn't worried. However, when she would bear a son, she didn't want any other male heirs standing in the way. She took the opportunity to get rid of your brother. He was sent to a monastery, where the priests were sworn to secrecy. One however, told your brother his true heritage. The priest was later killed, but the damage was done. From that moment in time, your stepmother knew that her place in the Higurashi estate was threatened.

"So, when your father died leaving her childless, and no male heirs were found, she outright panicked. She sold you so she could forcefully take what belonged to you and your brother."

"How very complicated," Sango said.

"You mean, how scandalous," corrected Kaede. "Who's the one you think is your brother again, Kagome?"

"Miroku," Kagome replied swiftly. "He was in Gion the night we escaped, at the party. He must've been looking for me. Right after that him and his hanyou friend appeared here. And he has the mark of all Higurashi descendants."

"The priest? Well, your brother _did_ grow up with priests... It would be natural for them to apprentice him as one."

"He's not a very good priest," Kagome said somewhat petulantly, and even Sango had to nod. "He goes to teahouses to drink with geisha."

And Kaede simply had to smile.

* * *

Before she left, Kaede reported back to Miroku and Inuyasha's tent.

"Miko-sama," Miroku said with a brilliant smile that would have melted even the most pure miko's heard. Kaede could see why Kagome said her brother wasn't a very good priest.

"All the men are sound, for the most part." Kaede put on her most serious face. "They do seem a bit... undernourished, though. I would suggest better food."

"Your advice is noted," said Miroku. "Are you, by any chance, a native of Western Japan?"

"Indeed," replied Kaede, delighted. "How did you know?"

"Your accent," he answered. Kaede spoke in a very distinctive, if not archaic form of speech.

"Can you speak the dialect, then?" asked Kaede in surprise.

Miroku nodded. "A fair bit..." He wondered whether or not to ask this old miko about his sister, remembering that mikos often travelled from household to household to heal, and consequently also to share the gossip. "Tell me, have you heard of the Higurashi household?"

"Quite a bit, yes," Kaede said cautiously.

Miroku paused. "Do you know that they recently sold a daughter to -"

"An okiya in Gion?" Kaede nodded. "Yes, indeed."

"How did the servants feel about that?" asked Miroku.

The miko seemed to ponder her answer. "Well, naturally, none were too pleased. But most accepted the fact, and moved on."

"I see." This would make Miroku's task harder than ever, if none of the Higurashi servants would speak out. He had thought about questioning them... but servants were always loyal to the current head of household, which unfortunately was the manipulative Lady Higurashi at the moment.

"Miko-sama..." Miroku stopped her as Kaede headed towards the exit. "Was there ever any gossip about another Higurashi heir?"

Kaede eyed Miroku with a small smile. "Why, Miroku-sama... I think you know the answer to that."

* * *

"Just where do you think you're going?" hissed Sesshoumaru.

Jaken halted in his tracks. He had thought Lord Sesshoumaru was in his bedroom... apparently not. "D-does Sesshoumaru-sama require anything of me?"

"An answer," growled Sesshoumaru. "Why do you keep running off for days at a time?"

"I..." Jaken faltered.

Did the toad think that a whisper, a rumour of a recruit camp, would never reach the ears of the Lord of the Western Lands? And did the poor fool think that he could get away with sneaking off for days at a time without announcing it?

"Tell me you didn't start a recruiting factory for useless men," Sesshoumaru said silkily. Silkily, dangerously, it was all the same.

"Well, milord..."

"Foor..." cursed the lord. "Take me there."

* * *

From the little of what Sesshoumaru could see, Jaken's job of recruiting had been terrible. This considering that Inuyasha and Miroku had done something to whip them into a lopsided shape. Some looked ready to be almost low-grade samurai; others looked like they might need a bit more training. These were men a human lord might use in battle, but Sesshoumaru would never consider trusting any of them into his ranks of officers.

Moreover, these human men stunk of dirt and sweat and unwashed bodies, and Sesshoumaru cringed internally. He wondered how his brother could stand the scent. However, the hanyou did seem to step very gingerly through the tents, careful to avoid certain men in particular.

So far the taiyoukai hadn't said a thing, which raised Jaken's hopes a little.

"You like, my lord?" he asked eagerly.

"No," he said, careful to squash the toad's ego. Sesshoumaru didn't _need_ a retainer, much less a retainer like Jaken.

"They aren't a bad lot," said Miroku, feeling a tad sorry for Jaken. Jaken's next sentence, though, erased all sympathetic feelings towards the toad.

"They would've been better if you were more competent in training them," snapped Jaken.

Sesshoumaru glared at the toad. "I would have rather you never started the job at all."

Jaken seemed to cower.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha came over, and nodded awkwardly at his older brother. "What brings you here?"

"Business as usual," Sesshoumaru said shortly. Picking up the toad's mess. Rather, he had a meeting with the shogun nearby, and Sesshoumaru wasn't about to show up on time for the likes of Naraku.

Yes, he was here... killing time.

As he started to leave, he dropped his voice and turned to Miroku, his tone full of that imperious quality which Houjo or Kouga didn't possess.

"Give you men a short while to soak in the river, will you?"

"I see your point," said Miroku, holding his nose as a small of group of men passed by.

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched his cup of tea lazily, trying to put up with Naraku's long speech. The gist of which was that Naraku wanted to form a alliance with Sesshoumaru.

"Why weaken yourself by allying with lords like Houjou and Kouga, Sesshoumaru-sama?" asked Naraku, his voice oily and slick.

"I never said I was going to," Sesshoumaru said coolly.

Naraku took this as a good sign. "So, work with me. Help me get want I want, and you will, in turn, be granted the things that _you_ want."

"And what do you want?"

The shogun smiled patiently. "The throne of Japan, of course."

"If I recall, the shogun was to stay out of the contest," Sesshoumaru suggested mildly.

"The emperor is dead, Sesshoumaru," Naraku said easily. "Who cares?"

"Our traditions are still alive," returned Sesshoumaru.

"Honestly." Naraku tried to control his building anger. "Don't talk to me about traditions; you've disregarded more of them than I can count."

"Well, taking into consideration the limitations of your intelligence..." Sesshoumaru eyed Naraku. "My answer to you, straightforward and blunt, is, if you want the throne, step down from your shogun seat and resume the rank of a daimyo lord."

Of course, Naraku would refuse. Yes, the daimyo were eligible for the throne and the shogun was not. But Naraku had hardly any lands in his own right as a lord. Without his shogun post, Naraku sould have very little sway in the the politics of the day.

"That's not an option!" yelled Naraku.

"Well, go beg the Higurashis then." Sesshoumaru couldn't care less with these petty alliances.

"And you'll regret it when they become my trusted advisors when I'm the emperor!" snarled Naraku.

"I'm sure I will."

As the taiyoukai rose to leave Naraku gritted his teeth in anger. For all people said of the Lord of the Western Lands being an emotionless person... Well, Naraku was positive he had heard sarcasm coming from the great Sesshoumaru himself.

* * *

"We do _not_ stink," said Kagome indignantly. Sesshoumaru's missive had been quickly filtered through the camp, and Jaken was trying to get everyone to jump into the nearby lake right there and then.

"A bath," smiled Sango in bliss. Miroku had given the entire camp the afternoon off to 'get clean', as he put it.

"Pity we have to wait for the rest of those barbarians to finish soaking and start napping before we can go," sighed Kagome.

"And then the water will be filthy like hell," Sango said.

Kagome grimaced. "Hopefully not. It's a river, after all. Maybe new water will come flowing in."

Then the conversation turned to lighter topics.

"Did you sneak in a comb? God knows how much my hair tangles..." Sighing, Sango raked her fingers through her long hair.

"And where's the soap Kaede gave us? Tell me you didn't leave it behind," groaned Kagome.

"Damn. It's back in the tent, melting. I'll go get it."

"Ha, tricked you, I've got it here," grinned Kagome.

From the far side of the river the men started calling to them.

"You two! Are you crazy? Come in, the air's quite cold. The water is warm."

"Uhh... No thanks," Sango said, plastering a false smile on her face. "I'm enjoying the breeze."

"I'm enjoying it with her," Kagome was quick to add.

"Crazy," snorted the men playfully. When the last of them splashed out and went off to their tents to sleep, Kagome and Sango hopped down from their rocks and slid into the river.

"So when are you going to tell Miroku you're actually siblings?" asked Sango, splashing water over her face.

"This is probably the tenth time you've asked me," commented Kagome. "Let's see... When I have no choice?"

"Uh huh..."

"Pass me the soap, you're not sharing."

"Uh huh..."

"Sango!" muttered Kagome crossly.

"Uh huh..."

"Hey!" yelled Kagome, splashing water in front of Sango. "Wake up..."

"Sorry... muttered Sango. Her eyes were glued to the far side of the river. Kagome followed where she was staring... right at Miroku and Inuyasha.

"Gods, Sango!" sighed Kagome, ducking her friend in the water.

"What was that for?" gasped Sango, wiping water from her face.

"For making eyes at my brother!"

"How was I supposed to know him and Inuyasha would be bathing too?"

"Well, you shouldn't have looked, anyways."

"Well, I'm sorry, Miss Pure and Perfect," laughed Sango, "not everyone's so prudish as you." She dived underwater and pulled Kagome's legs from beneath her.

"God!" shrieked Kagome, spluttering as water filled her eyes and ears. Resurfacing, she glared at Sango.

"Uh oh..." muttered Sango.

* * *

"Miroku!" hissed Inuyasha. "You didn't mention there were going to be _girls_ here." He pointed to a screaming, splashing mess not _too_ far from them. They had to be girls from the village. Hopefully they hadn't seen them yet. The last thing Inuyasha wanted was to get beaten up by angry fathers and husbands.

"You got a point there," grumbled Miroku reluctantly.

"My point exactly," Inuyasha muttered.

* * *

"For shame," Kaede scolded for the hundredth time when she saw the girls again. "Bathing in the river!"

"Well, we had little choice," shrugged Sango.

"Besides, it wasn't like we were going to get robbed by _yazuka_ mob members anytime soon," grumbled Kagome. "Miroku and Inuyasha were there too."

"What!" asked Kaede. "You _bathed_ with _men_?"

"Hardly," said Sango airily. "More like, boys."

"Besides, they were like a hundred meters away," added Kagome.

The miko sighed.

"You two will be the death of me," she complained.

"We already are," giggled Kagome.

"Hardly. I can stand shocks better than you think," rejoined Kaede. "But let me tell you a little secret. Why Miroku and Inuyasha were using the river I don't know, but I _do_ know they have their own private bath tub. Maybe you can borrow it sometime," she hinted with a wink.

And Kagome winked at Sango.

* * *

"That arrogant, son of a bitch won't help!" yelled Naraku. The meeting with that cursed Lord of the Western Lands had not gone very well for Naraku at all. "And excuse the pun. I keep forgetting he _is_ a dog demon."

"Oh..." murmured Kanna.

"Tell me, is there a way to force him to help me?"

"None, my lord," whispered Kanna.

"Damn it. Well, is there a way I can make him lose the people loyal to him?"

"One, my lord."

"Well?"

"There is talk of an army..."

"Which one? Where is it? What... Oh never mind." Naraku knew he could find out easily if an army somewhere was forming. "What do I do with the army?"

There was no reply, and Naraku nearly shook the girl in frustration. She being silent assured him that she wouldn't tell any enemies his secrets. But that also meant that sometimes she wouldn't even talk to _him_.

"Do I attack that army?" questioned Naraku.

Kanna nodded slowly.

And two red eyes glowed in anticipation.


	6. Inspection

**Chapter 6: Inspection**

The Lord of the Western Lands had been taught from a young age never to shirk his duties.

Nevertheless, it seemed to Sesshoumaru that lately every single waking moment he had was filled with work and more work and just more damned work. If he could find time to sleep, work would haunt his dreams too. At the moment he was staying as a guest in the Imperial Palace at Kyoto, which didn't help the situation either. Sesshoumaru was busy enough; he didn't need some princess or royal concubine knocking at his door at night in sordid invitation.

Even in his rooms at the palace the paperwork was mounting. He didn't want to think about the veritable mountain of work that was no doubt accumulating in his own study back in his castle.

Letters and petitions aside, there was the Emperor's will to think about. The whole Japan was just about waiting for Sesshoumaru to accept or decline the throne. Naraku would likely try and usurp it soon, another headache on Sesshoumaru's plate, and the other lords… well, it was sad, but they were never going to stand a chance to make Emperor.

So considering that Sesshoumaru was at the moment the only obvious obstacle in Naraku's path, it was unsurprising but no less irritating when dozens of nobles clambered daily to _ask his opinion_ on the current political climate. Of course, there was the Higurashi clan. If he got rid of the current stepmother ruling the place, and reinstated the true Higurashi heir, perhaps Naraku would stop going after him and start bothering the Higurashis with alliance talks instead.

That geisha, Kagome, who'd ran away. Sesshoumaru had bothered to find her; after all, she was a woman, and even her claim as heir to the Higurashi clan would be shaky. Although, Sesshoumaru did feel there was something fishy about the priest Inuyasha travelled with.

If he had time, he would confront the priest and go find the girl. Then he could get Naraku off his chest. Better still, make the Higurashi boy become Emperor, that would wash Sesshoumaru's hands of the entire affair.

On the matter of Naraku, the shogun was proof of how annoying hanyous could be. Sesshoumaru was experienced in hanyou matters. After all, he'd grown up with one, albeit one less irritating and dangerous than Naraku

And he didn't have time to entertain lords like Kouga or Houjou either. All their meetings were centred around arguments, strategies and then arguments about the strategies. Sometimes Sesshoumaru sent Jaken to sit in at the meetings. Most of the time Sesshoumaru sent Jaken to deliver scathing replies, something Jaken was expert at.

Most days were boring – at the crack of dawn, invitations to all sorts of meetings and balls and feasts would come pouring in. Jaken would then hasten to write malicious replies declining the invitations. A few hours later, when most of Japan's young, eligible ladies had woken, letters of admiration and declarations of love would arrive from them. Jaken took even more vindictive pleasure in replying with insults but every day the letters came anyways.

Apart from sometimes stopping Jaken from writing too-insulting letters, Sesshoumaru simply made sure his lands functioned well. He had long killed bandits and other whatnot that the other lords seemed eternally plagued with. The people didn't complain about their safety, although Sesshoumaru generally worked alone. (He didn't see the need to feed an army of greedy samurai and he was seriously considering getting rid of Jaken).

But now speaking of armies, that toad had started one. Sesshoumaru still needed to pay them a real visit. Last time he'd fled before the stench could get to him.

Slipping on his armour, he stealthily made his way out of his room so as to avoid any wandering princesses.

So what if it was midnight? Damn Jaken's army if they couldn't roll out of slumber in time.

"Damn you! You're cheating, I can smell it!" barked Inuyasha.

"Just face it, Inuyasha. I'm the better chess-player," said Miroku calmly, a smile playing on his lips.

Chess, unfortunately, was the only form of entertainment that evening, as Jaken had found out about their little teahouse escapade and banned Inuyasha and Miroku from leaving camp to go _cavorting _with women. They were setting a bad example, it seemed.

"Not when you win four times in a row, no," snapped Inuyasha. "I don't believe this. You can't beat me _every _time. Here, let's just play again…"

Outside the tent, two dark figures listened carefully.

Kaede had mentioned Inuyasha and Miroku had a wooden bathtub. Higuarshi Kei and Tanaka Kohaku were here to steal – no, borrow it.

"It's clear," whispered Sango. "They'll be too busy playing chess to notice us."

"Good," Kagome whispered back.

"You think we can risk it?"

"Right. So we sneak around the back of their tent…"

Lugging a large empty bathtub between them Sango and Kagome found themselves bumping their way towards the river. Which would make one wonder why they didn't just jump into the river themselves; but then again, keeping in mind they were both pampered young ladies…

"One thing good about the okiya…" shivered Kagome, "was that we had hot baths."

"Actually, cold baths are good for blood circulation," said Sango. "But I agree, nothing beats a hot steaming soak."

"You go first," Kagome said. "I'll keep a lookout." Just in case one of the men woke up (unlikely) and decided to take an evening piss in the river.

An hour later or so, they were shoving the tub back. Miroku and Inuyasha were still at the chess set. From what Kagome gathered from eavesdropping, Inuyasha had 'accidentally' overturned the board once, making them restart the game.

Placing the bathtub to its proper position behind the tent, Sango and Kagome crept silently back to their own tent.

They were just entering their tent when Kagome realized they were empty-handed between the two of them.

"Sango, did you bring the soap back?"

"What?" asked Sango, staring. "You didn't?"

Kagome groaned. "How stupid can we get? I'll go get it."

She crawled out and made her way back to the river. Sure enough their jar of soap stood on the grass, occasionally getting washed over by a splash of water. Making a grab for the jar, Kagome dried it off with her sleeve. Soap was a precious commodity – Kaede brought it to them every time she came, but it still was barely enough to cover their usage considering how filthy they always got. Besides, Kaede came only about once a week.

Someone landed conveniently in front of her. Kagome controlled herself before she could throw a high-pitched scream. The soap however, wasn't so lucky. It slipped from her hands, the glass shattering and pouring its precious contents out on the ground.

"Who are you?" demanded Kagome indignantly. Because of this person – she couldn't see who in the dark – she was missing a perfectly good jar of soap.

"Why do you care?" The answer was swift and crisp.

"Because you just ruined a perfectly good jar of soap! What, do you _always_ sneak up on people?"

The person muttered something like, "Women…"

"Talking to me?" asked Kagome dangerously.

"I wouldn't dare." One could be a fool and still detect the sarcasm laced in his voice.

Kagome bit her lip. Damned if she didn't think of a good retort. "Good, and you'd better apologize for my soap!"

"Utter nonsense."

"Mister, I _do_ live in the samurai camp not too far from here, and I won't hesitate to call on my buddies!" Kagome exclaimed bravely.

There was a short silence from the other end.

"I applaud you, Lady Higurashi," the man said at last. "You have the entire Japan searching for you, and yet you elude them by dressing as a man."

Kagome felt her throat constrict, threatening to strangle her. All of a sudden, she knew she recognized that voice.

Then again, no one had ever fooled the Lord of the Western Lands.

"Jaken-sama!" Kagome raced back to the camp, pretending to be out of breath. "Jaken-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama is here!"

The toad fell out of his tent, nightclothes flapping around him. "Higurashi! What's the meaning of this!"

Then he caught sight of his master, and all hell broke loose between Jaken screaming for the men to wake up and screaming at Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Chess? You play _chess_ instead of staying alert and watching for intruders?" Jaken yelled.

"Like you were any better," shot back Inuyasha. "Snoring like a pig, and refusing to wake up."

"Yeah… in the future, Jaken, you do the guard duty shifts, ok?" asked Miroku, yawning.

Jaken's eyes bulged. "First, attend to the matters at hand!"

"Matters at hand?" Inuyasha repeated with false politeness

"Your brother. He doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

Yes, his brother. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Why exactly do you think I'm taking my time?"

Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha, take pity on Jaken, the poor fellow. If Lord Sesshoumarus is kept waiting, Jaken's eyes will pop out with all their indignant bulging, and wouldn't that be a tragedy?"

"Right," said Inuyasha. To Jaken, he said, "I'm not interested in your well-being. But I don't want two yellow eyeballs on my floor, thank you very much for your offer though."

"Who saw Sesshoumaru anyways?" asked Inuyasha, torn between thanking and killing the bastard.

"One of the twigs," said Jaken.

"Twigs?" Miroku looked sceptical.

"What's his name… the one with same last name as you."

This caused Miroku to choke with laughter. "Kei? A _twig_?"

"Hey, poor Jaken doesn't know the difference between a twig and forest, so give him a rest," said Inuyasha.

"Save your breath, Inuyasha," advised Miroku. "It's a few hours after midnight, we've got your brother to tangle with, and the men to whip into proper formation. We don't need Jaken as another problem."

His brother looked immaculate as ever, and Inuyasha grudgingly straightened his crumpled red haori. "_Someone's_ an early riser," he complained, casting dirty glares at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru looked contemptuous. "As you well know, I do not arrange my schedule around Jaken's silly ideas. If I come and it is before dawn, so be it," said Sesshoumaru blandly.

"Yeah… Sending word ahead would be nice," Inuyasha said.

Actually, it was amazing what Sesshoumaru let him get away with. Inuyasha couldn't think of anyone who disrespected his brother like he did. He took it as a sign of brotherly affection.

"I'll try and remember next time." Sesshoumaru took the cup of tea Jaken offered him, and discreetly emptied its contents out on the floor.

Inuyasha sighed. "You could at least act interested. Your toad did this whole recruit thing for you."

"But I am not interested. And to clarify, I don't own a toad. If you're talking about Jaken, I assure you his head will roll if he ever tries to do something for me again."

Inuyasha shifted on the spot. "Damn you, still as arrogant as ever. Tell me, does being a cold snob help diplomatic relations with other lords?"

A silver brow lifted. "Indeed, yes."

"You're insufferable," grumbled Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru took no offence. "I hate to inform you, but so are you."

The small group watched the brothers with interest.

"Verbal sparring," sighed Miroku. "The sport I never tire of watching."

"I suppose you think you're an expert on the game," snorted Sango.

"Actually, I am," Miroku said shamelessly. "I have years of practice I can always put to good use."

"If you two don't shut up, they'll hear us and then we'll be in trouble for spying," warned Kagome. They were a distance away, but Kagome could swear Inuyasha was bright red.

"I'm hungry," Miroku was complaining.

"And your point?" asked Sango irritably.

"We should go ask Jaken to cook for us."

"He'd raise hell about 'mere recruits' asking for food, then he'd pack us off to cook for Sesshoumaru and him," reasoned Sango.

"True. Wait here, I'll go face down Jaken." With an air of one being forced to face a pack of hungry wolves, Miroku sauntered off.

Kagome noticed the somewhat dazed expression on her friend's face. "Sango!" she said in a low voice. "You're a boy now, remember?"

"I know," she said miserably.

"Hitting on the priest won't help our case at all."

"I know."

Kagome sighed. "If it makes you feel better, if we weren't in this position, I would love you as a sister-in-law."

"So I figured," smiled Sango.

Cooking, a la Jaken, a la Recruit Camp.

Jaken supervised closely, having ushered Miroku, Sango and Kagome from their eavesdrop session into the camp kitchen.

"You think Sesshoumaru's actually here to check on Jaken's progress? The whole time he's just been bickering with Inuyasha," mumbled Miroku with a wink at the girls. This would certainly get Jaken's back up.

"Oi! You done yapping? Get on with it!" ordered Jaken.

"Stop ordering me around, I'm helping you as a favour!" Miroku snapped. The knife he was using to slice vegetables with hovered in his hand, the sharp edge pointing towards Jaken.

"Oh, don't kill him. I hate burying toads," said Kagome, carefully slicing the daikon greens Jaken had handed her.

"Hey, Kago- Kei," Sango corrected, "people are going to eat these. There's no need to slice them so thinly."

"Hey, Kohaku," Kagome retorted sourly, "people are going to eat those. No need to make them choke." She eyed Sango's carrots, which were roughly chopped into carrot blocks.

"What's this anyways, vegetable water?" asked Miroku, dumping his cabbage into the pot Jaken was stirring.

"I wouldn't know," said Jaken darkly, furious at having to cook. At least he'd gotten the loafers to help.

"Where's the meat gone to?" Miroku glared at Jaken. "Are we supposed to eat this without meat?"

"Oh, but we get oat porridge every day," said Sango cynically.

"Here, you two delicate souls go and wait with Inuyasha," Kagome said, pushing Jaken and Miroku away from the hearth and out the kitchen tent. "We'll fix everything up nicely."

Dusting her hands off, she smiled mischievously at Sango.

"I was getting sick of oat porridge," grinned Sango.

"Well, we'll just have rice for a change," Kagome said, rummaging around for the rice sack.

"Sir," said Kagome, bowing cynically. "Your meal awaits you."

Sango stepped forward with decorum and placed a tray in front of Miroku.

"Thank you," he said, casting triumphant grins at Jaken. "I'm glad there are people who can make more than just vegetable soup."

Inuyasha's eyes and mouth watered. There was steaming fragrant rice and codfish grilled a nice deep brown. Even Jaken couldn't make food _that_ good.

"Inuyasha, I know you are still a puppy, but no need to grovel," said Sesshoumaru. The hanyou sat up straight immediately.

"I didn't know you could cook," said Miroku, between mouthfuls, oblivious that everyone besides Sango and Kagome was watching him.

"Oh, our family owns a restaurant," Sango lied. "We're cousins."

Kagome tried not to go red under Sesshoumaru's penetrating stare. When she raised her eyes to meet his, he arched his eyebrow slowly, before turning and delivering a glare at Jaken.

"Stop fidgeting," he commanded. "Both of you – show me around."

Sango tugged on Kagome. "He means us," she whispered. "And stop staring at Inuyasha!"

"I wasn't," defended Kagome.

Sesshoumaru had already stepped outside, and they hurried after him. From far, far away, a crack of sunlight could be seen.

"Walk," Sesshoumaru commanded.

"You can drop that tone. I'm your equal, remember that," mumbled Kagome.

"Would you _care_ to walk?"

"Sarcasm is not needed to make your point clear," said Kagome, brushing past him haughtily, Sango tailing in puzzlement.

"And have you located your brother?" Sesshoumaru asked, this being one of his more pressing matters at the moment.

"Yes," replied Kagome.

Sango looked confused.

"He caught me coming back from the river," explained Kagome sheepishly.

"First rule of disguise, never step out of costume," lectured Sesshoumaru. "Besides, you were making so much fuss about dropping that soap of yours it was otherwise impossible to believe you were a man."

"You dropped the soap?" exclaimed Sango. "Damn!"

"It wasn't my fault; blame _him_," said Kagome. "In response to you, Lord Sesshoumaru, my brother is right here. Miroku. Inuyasha's companion," Kagome told him.

He halted. Surely she had to know the future of Japan would shape according to her clan's actions. Yet she was here, disguised as a samurai recruit. "Why don't you tell your brother and clarify things for everyone? And while we're on the subject, you know women are not allowed as samurai."

"Spare me," sighed Kagome. "I know about samurai and their exclusive no-female rule."

Sesshoumaru ignored her. "Right now, the other lords consider your clan officially inactive because of your stepmother being in control. Naraku wants o form an alliance with Higurashi or Taisho, and since your clan is 'inactive', he has little choice but to ask me."

"Sounds like you want me to get Naraku off your back," said Kagome saucily. "The great Lord of the Western Lands?"

"You may be my equal, but I _am_ older than you. A certain degree of respect is warranted," he reminded her icily.

She gulped, and tried to take things seriously. "From what I gather, Houjou, Kouga and Naraku want the throne, but both will never stand a chance without your help or my help… They'd make pitiful emperors," scoffed Kagome.

"Exactly. The main concern is to eliminate Naraku. Afterward, if you announce the Higurashi's intention to claim the throne, Houjou and Kouga will back down immediately."

"So you want my help getting rid of the shogun?" asked Kagome, grinning.

For a woman, Kagome Higurashi was decidedly arrogant. Sesshoumaru would have none of it. "I can easily bring Naraku to his knees, but as a major clan it will be in the Higurashi's interests to help out."

"And what's in this for you?"

"Stopping Naraku from being emperor is good for everyone. He'll tear down the rules and cause terror in the people."

Unbelievable. This man had no sense of humour. Kagome put on a huge sigh. "I wish I could help, I really do. But in reality, I cannot. To the court, I am no longer Higurashi Kagome. I'm some famous geisha. Everyone wants to make acquaintances with me to be seen as powerful and rich, but no one will respect me."

Sesshoumaru wasn't going to let her off the hook so easily. "That's where your brother comes in."

"I didn't even _know_ I had a brother until I met Kagura! And then I still had to force the truth out of my old nurse!" Kagome looked at the ground. "No one will ever believe it. Because I wouldn't have…"

"If not for your Higurashi mark."

"Yes! Exactly!" Wait, how did he know about -

"So you'll live out your life a man?" challenged Sesshoumaru. "Because the moment you stop wearing your hair in a topknot and get rid of your ninja mask, someone will turn you in for a hefty sum to your okiya, where I trust you'll never see the light of day again. Unless you never want to regain your former titles, the only way to do so is to kick your stepmother out."

"And what exactly is wrong with living out my life as a man?" Kagome retorted. "I'll have more rights than I ever had before!"

"Just think it over," he said carelessly, walking away from her.

Obstinate child. Sesshoumaru knew exactly why most lords refused to listen to their wives and daughters. As though Kagome Higurashi really believed she made a convincing man. It was only by chance that the likes of Jaken and Inuyasha were too stupid to notice, but the rest of Japan was hardly blind.

"Why do we keep waiting?" demanded Juromaru.

"Because I say so!" barked Naraku.

They spied on the recruit camp from a distance, waiting to attack just as Kanna had said.

"Boring…" muttered Kagemaru. "We're here to attack helpless recruits with no experience in fighting."

"One false move, we could all be dead," hissed Naraku.

"We've been hiding out here for almost three hours!" exclaimed Juromaru.

"How dangerous could little boys be?" asked Kagemaru.

"Are you sure Kanna made the right prediction?" Juromaru wanted to know.

"She's never wrong," said Naraku calmly. "Stop jabbering. When I become emperor you two will be handsomely rewarded for helping me."

"I still don't get what attacking a tiny camp like this does…" sighed Juromaru. The last he heard it hadn't been Lord Sesshoumaru's iniative. He doubted the lord would care if they massacred his little toad servant and some human men.

"Having second thoughts?" asked Naraku dangerously.

"No, of course not, my lord, I-"

Naraku grinned harshly. "Die."

And he stabbed Juromaru in the gut, watching the blood spill onto the ground with pleasure.

"Miroku, when you're done stuffing your face," growled Inuyasha. The priest was eating like they'd haven't eating in days.

"Jealous?" asked Miroku. "I'm sure there's more in the kitchen, help yourself."

"Damned houshi," grumbled Inuyasha, making his way to the kitchen tent.

The sun was rising. Inuyasha watched the sun creep up and sighed, slowly inhaling the fresh scent daylight brought with it.

His eyes darted to the right immediately.

Was he going crazy or did he smell blood?


	7. Deception

**Chapter 7: Deception **

"Blood," said Sesshoumaru.

"What?" asked Kagome, looking around.

His senses were always accurate. There was blood, somewhere. The next minute Inuyasha came running over. "Sesshoumaru, there's blood!"

"I know that, you imbecile. And Naraku too is nearby – I'd smell his scent any day."

"What's he doing here?" asked Inuyasha.

"Probably planning a sneak attack," said Sesshoumaru. Most likely Naraku had somehow gotten wind of Jaken's recruit project, and decided it was the perfect opportunity to launch the offensive.

"If they sneak attack, where would they come from?" Inuyasha wanted to know.

His brother surveyed the location quickly. "The river," said Sesshoumaru. "They will float down the river, their heads covered, while it is barely dawn and we have trouble seeing them."

"How can you be sure?" Kagome asked. "Not that I'm doubted your honourable expertise or anything," she added hastily, not wanting to piss of their one chance of survival in light of Naraku's coming attack.

"Naraku is predictable. He has used this method of attack on no fewer than seven occasions." Sesshoumaru looked condescending. "We send a few people up to the riverfront – they will be trying to get out of the water, and are most vulnerable then. Remember, in ambush attacks, they plan to take us by surprise, so they won't be planning much for their own defence."

"Right. You guys make your way there, I'll go get Miroku," said Sango.

"Now!" Naraku barked in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

As quietly as they could, Naraku's minions waded down the riverbank into the water. He himself would watch from the other side of the river.

The closer his men got, the more he felt a nasty feeling.

His men were nearing…

The camp was too quiet, too quiet…

In sneak attacks, the sentry posted would spot the invaders too late, and raised the outcry. Then, pandemonium would ensue, with men rushing for weapons and commanders trying to rouse from sleep and everyone yelling.

But his men were too close, too close. Surely a sentry, however incompetent, would have spotted them.

Unless there was no sentry. Unless the sentry had been removed for his safety. When would mean that Naraku's surprise attack was no longer a surprise.

"Shit!" cursed Naraku. If he ever found which one of his men betrayed him… The situation was getting dangerous. Naraku would have to flee.

He turned towards the forested area when a cool voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Going somewhere?"

Naraku froze. "Lord Sesshoumaru. I was just strolling by the area," he said with a sugary smile, turning around.

"So was I," said Sesshoumaru.

"Coincidental, no?" yelled Inuyasha. "Take that, you damned Naraku!" He brought Tetsusaiga down to the ground, a gold light erupting from it. "It's for you idiots that I reserve kaze no kizu for!"

"Pathetic wound of the wind," snorted Naraku. "You think that would kill me?"

"This would," Kagome said from behind him. Saying so, she drew her sword across his body, slicing it into two.

It disappeared in a puff of smoke. On the ground lay a tiny wooden man, split into two.

"A puppet – that coward!" said Inuyasha, adding a string of curses under his breath.

"Come on, we'll see how Miroku's side is doing," Kagome said.

So the monsters had come floating up the riverbank, just like Sesshoumaru had predicted.

It hadn't been a very big army. It held no more than five people, Naraku included. But they had looked like one of them could hold off ten humans.

Had, that was.

Naraku had been no match for them, Kagome mused. Sure, his monsters had been horrible little creations. But with Tetsusaiga, Tensaiga, Hiraikotsu, Kazaana and Kagome's own swords… Well, the minions didn't really get a chance. They were all slaughtered – save for Naraku. Quoting Inuyasha, that 'slimy bastard Naraku' had sent a puppet Naraku, which Inuyasha chopped up for firewood.

That all seemed to happen ages ago.

The point of the matter was, it was storming, it was wet, and it was cold. And of all the things in the world she could be doing, Kagome found herself following a pair of sour dog brothers through a tangled forest.

"I think we've scared Naraku off," Inuyasha had bragged triumphantly.

"Excellent," Sesshoumaru had said. "Then we'll embark on a little journey."

"But, Sesshoumaru-sama, what about the camp -" Jaken had squeaked.

"Hojou can look after the recruits," Sesshoumaru had interrupted.

Now that Kagome came to think of it, they made a sorry travelling party.

The hanyou was furious and he showed it.

The taiyoukai was bored stiff and _he_ showed it.

Miroku was terrified of rain, and carried an umbrella to show it.

Sango was blushing strawberry red, and kept her distance from the houshi to show it.

"So where are we going again?" Kagome asked Miroku in a desperate attempt to break the patter-splash-drip-patter of the rain.

"Not sure," he said. "Inuyasha, where are we going?"

"Kyoto," said Sesshoumaru matter-of-factly.

"On foot?" shrieked Sango. The rain drowned out her high pitch.

"On foot?" echoed Kagome.

"But surely you can stand a little rain?"

He was mocking her, Kagome could swear. That damned Sesshoumaru was mocking her. He could talk – the raindrops didn't seem touch him and he was perfectly dry.

"The next village will have horses, Sesshoumaru, let's borrow a few," said Inuyasha.

At least _somebody_ was nice, huffed Kagome mentally.

From in front, Inuyasha made a mental note to ask that Higurashi Kei if he had sisters. The man seemed so... well, Inuyasha was sure if Kei had sisters, he'd make sure he courted one of them. And the more Inuyasha thought about it, the more feminine Kei looked – he could almost picture him as a girl…

"Stop it, Inuyasha, you're turning into Jakotsu!" snapped Inuyasha under his breath to himself. Jakotsu was a guard that served the Higurashi household – he was loyal and brave, but he also preferred the company of men to women.

Sesshoumaru heard Inuyasha – and almost smiled. Almost. Though he had to agree; Kagome's looks were worthy of her status. And seeing as he was the only one who knew she was a girl… Well, Sesshoumaru would have the pleasure of teasing Inuyasha to hell about it.

"Day dreaming about a certain recruit?" Sesshoumaru asked.

_Bastard_, Inuyasha cursed silently. _He's doing a terrible job of feigning innocence._

"Of course not," Inuyasha said quickly.

"How fortunate for you. I would not have tolerated a Jakotsu in my house."

"There's a village!" cried Miroku in thankfulness, saving Inuyasha from having to retort.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea," Sango whispered to Kagome.

Kagome stifled a giggle. Sango had never been one for horses. When they had been running from Kyoto it had been a different story, but given the choice, she stayed far away from all steeds. "You can ride with me, if you must."

Miroku choose the opportune moment to voice his thoughts. "Don't you just love galloping top-speed?"

They trudged on towards the town.

"We need horses," announced Inuyasha at the nearest stable.

"We're closed for the night," grumbled a man from inside.

"I'll give you two seconds to convince that man inside, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said.

"No problem," said Inuyasha, his fangs peeking through his lips as he grinned. The door slammed shut behind him as he disappeared inside.

A crash rocketed through the walls. The tiny house in front of the stables shook so much it seemed ready to just collapse.

The door opened. A thin man came out, several of his teeth brown or missing.

"The h..horses… are… a..at the b..ba...back…" he whispered.

Sesshoumaru swept past him and Inuyasha stalked off after his brother. The rest gave bows of apology to the man before hurrying off after them.

Inuyasha had already led out a beautiful tanned horse.

"Do we have a choice?" Miroku muttered to Kagome.

"I guess not," she said, stroking a bay foal on the nose.

Something tiny screeched and scuttled out from beneath their feet. Kagome stiffened involuntarily – rats were not her favourite creatures.

It ran towards Sango, who picked it up.

"Is this the cutest -" she began. "I mean, yes, it's… um… interesting."

"A two-tailed cat? Those are rare!" Kagome said.

The cat hopped from Sango's arms onto the ground, and scratched at the dirt with its claws.

"Ki… ra… ra… Kirara?" said Sango.

It mewed and rubbed its cheek against her leg.

"Oh well, I suppose we should be going," sighed Sango.

As if the cat sensed her reluctance to touch the horses, it took a few steps back. In a matter of seconds, it had changed into a giant fire-cat.

"That's your horse, then," Miroku said wryly.

One failed attack did not mean the battle was lost. Naraku could – _would_ – get even with those who opposed him.

Deep down, he knew that if neither Taisho nor Higurashi helped him, he would never become king. Which was why he now forced himself to swallow his pride, paying a visit to the current Lady Higurashi.

"What an honour, to have such a guest like the great Shogun himself come!" exclaimed a lavishly-dressed woman as she entered the room.

"Indeed." Typically, Naraku would be obliged to apologize for dropping in unannounced, and then he'd make small talk about the weather or some other useless boring topic. But today was different.

"Lady Higurashi, I have come on a matter of great importance," Naraku said, putting on a serious face. "You may have heard about the current dilemma over who will become the new Emperor. It is apparent that Lord Sesshoumaru intends to seize the throne. He has said, many times, that when he does do so, he will strip you of your rank and riches."

"Now, why would he do that?" laughed the woman, but Naraku could see the fear in her eyes, and was pleased.

"Because he is very particular about honour." Naraku looked solemn. "Forgive me for saying so, but ever since you moved into the Higurashi household you haven't been very honourable. You gave your baby stepson away. For years you terrorized the servants and staff. And just recently, you sold your own stepdaughter. For what? A hundred pieces of gold? Are you really so poor you need a hundred pieces of gold at the expense of a daughter?"

He could tell his words were having an effect on Lady Higurashi from the way her eyes darted wildly from the table to the door to her lap. "So, Lord Sesshoumaru thinks this is dishonourable," continued Naraku. "And he takes it upon himself to 'fix the problem'. There are rumours that your stepson if alive and possibly planning a revolt. If so, he will definitely have the support of the Western Lands."

She looked genuinely terrified now. Naraku smiled invisibly – ladies were so easy to convince.

"What do I do?" Lady Higurashi asked, her normally hard voice trembling.

"You must help me take the throne. When I become the emperor, I will make sure you are safe. But I need the backing of a powerful clan such as yours, as there is certain to be opposition coming from Sesshoumaru's side."

"Yes, yes," she said. "But that if Lord Sesshoumaru attacked us, how would be defend ourselves?"

Stupid, weak human woman. Naraku resisted smacking her. "You won't be under attack if you simply right your wrongs," Naraku said. "You must go to the geisha house you sold the younger Lady Higurashi to, and demand her back. It will certainly appease most of your dissenters."

"But didn't they say Kagome's run away?" said Lady Higurashi, wringing her hands.

Naraku frowned. He hadn't thought of that. Then he remembered Kikyou, and smiled nastily. "Don't worry about that. In that same geisha house, there is a woman who is the spitting image of your stepdaughter. If you take _her_ in, nobody will know the difference."

"Ok, so I still don't understand why we're going to Kyoto," Kagome said. Then again, it was a testament to the Lord of the Western Lands that he had managed to order them to the capital without any one even questioning it.

"Your guess is as good as mine," muttered Inuyasha, who was busy concentrating on his horse's reins.

"Hey, Inuyasha. Never galloped on horses before?" teased Miroku.

"What? Of course!" said Inuyasha, though his flushed face spoke otherwise.

Kagome winked at Miroku. "I just love the wind rushing past me. But you know, it can be very, _very_ dangerous to go faster than a fast trot. My uncle was _killed_ when his horse threw him off. His head got ripped right off."

"Exactly," grinned Miroku. "Especially when we are riding on paths like this one – bumpy, with trees and branches hanging out, ready to strangle us."

Inuyasha quickly slowed his horse to a trot. "I like this pace," he said loudly.

Sesshoumaru appeared right next to him, floating on his magic cloud. "If you don't hurry up, I am making sure your horse rears and throws you off."

"Damn it, you. Why do you have to throw your weight around?" demanded Inuyasha, setting his horse off on a gallop again.

"Wish _I_ could fly," whispered Miroku to Kagome.

"Yeah. And also threaten Inuyasha so much that he follows my orders every time," sighed Kagome. Then she kicked herself. Like she would ever want to _be_ the Lord of the Western Lands.

Several hours later they were installed in the heart of Kyoto, in one of Sesshoumaru's numerous rooms at the Emperor's palace.

"If I hear that even one of you put a _foot_ outside this door, I will personally castrate that person," said Sesshoumaru, gazing particularly at Inuyasha.

"And if _I _do?" asked Kagome saucily.

He shot her a look of contempt and marched out the door.

"We're supposed to stay in this room?" asked Sango, annoyed.

"Hey, it's a palace. What more could you want?" Miroku said, already looking for any princesses that might be wandering about.

"Well, Sesshoumaru obviously has more than one room to his disposal. He could allow us some private space," Sango said. Sure, she and Kagome were disguised as men, but for her peace of mind she preferred to sleep away from the priest.

"Oh, just be quiet. I'm so sleepy…" yawned Kagome.

"Me too," agreed Inuyasha. He hadn't slept in ages – first, he had been playing chess with Miroku; then Sesshoumaru appeared and Naraku decided to attack. And then Sesshoumaru got the bright idea to drag them off to Kyoto, riding non-stop.

"So stop talking and start sleeping," Kagome said, curling up on the tatami floor.

She was flying, rushing through the air.

She stopped. Now she was floating.

"I will drop you if you don't wake up," said someone.

"Arrogant taiyoukai!" shrieked Kagome, before a hand clamped over her mouth.

"I carried you out so the others wouldn't wake up," he said. "It would defeat the purpose if you woke them up with your screaming."

She looked around. "Another of your rooms?"

"Dressing room," he said, pushing her behind a screen. "You'll be a girl today." He slung clothes over the top.

"Are we going somewhere?" asked Kagome, snatching the clothes down. It wasn't like she was an obedient little girl. But she would snatch at the chance of getting out of her samurai uniform.

"Yes," he answered.

"Where?"

"Many places. But first, there is good news and bad news."

"Not that again," complained Kagome. "I hate good news, bad news games. I never know which one I want to hear first."

Sesshoumaru paid her no attention. "Well, Naraku is going to lose the throne."

Kagome nearly suffocated herself the yukata she was tying. "How do you know?"

"I have sources." Sesshoumaru had heard about Naraku approaching Lady Higurashi about working with him, and he had to say this was Naraku's most foolhardy decision yet. The woman knew nothing about politics except perhaps the price of kimono silk.

"And the bad news?" asked Kagome.

"You have an imposter." Sesshoumaru had also heard that a certain geisha now resided in the Higurashi residence as the lord's daughter, Kagome Higurashi. "For that we will visit your stepmother."

"Hell yes. Let's go," Kagome said, stepping out in a fresh kimono. Imposter? Had to be Kikyou, who else looked like her? And who else would be stupid enough?

"If anyone asks, you're my servant," warned Sesshoumaru. It would not do to inform anyone that Kagome Higurashi, real version, was walking around Kyoto at the moment.

Kagome swore he was getting a kick out of having her pose as his servant.

"So why is Kikyou pretending to be me?" asked Kagome as they stepped out of the side gate of the palace.

"Naraku's plan to usurp the throne now involves getting the help of your clan. To do so, he has convinced your stepmother she will never be safe unless he becomes emperor."

Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru in confusion.

"Your stepmother has now welcomed you back into your home to try and regain credit in the eyes of the other nobles. And with her newfound credit she will back Naraku."

Her face fell. "That's bad news, then."

She would have to oust her stepmother and Kikyou from her own house now. Kagome felt a burst anger begin to well up in her.

Somehow, she would have to tell Miroku who he was, and soon.


	8. Talks and Rice Cakes

**Chapter 8: Talks and Rice Cakes**

"I still don't believe it. She'll fool nobody!" fumed Kagome. "That… that _woman_, pretending to be me?" She had been so close to using another _w_-word.

"Oh, you'll be surprised," Sesshoumaru said. "Kikyou is a talented geisha, and hence a talented actress."

"So she'd fool even you?" teased Kagome.

"No. But I would have no way to disprove that Kikyou was you. Your stepmother could hide her in seclusion. And I wouldn't be able to charge in demanding to see her."

"No, it wouldn't be proper," mocked Kagome with a grin.

"No, it wouldn't," he said, quickening his pace.

Kagome hurried after him, trying to get used to her shoes. After walking in boots for so long she was finding it hard to walk along in the high heels of ladies' wooden clogs.

The more she caught up to him the more he quickened his pace. Finally, irritated, Kagome tugged his sleeve. "Must you walk so fast? Some people have cumbersome shoes, you know!" she said.

Sesshoumaru looked at her like she was a fool. "_Miss_ Higurashi, people are already staring. You're supposed to walk a few paces behind me. I wouldn't keep speeding up if you would just walk like you're supposed to."

She glared at him. "Like how? A lady's tottering steps? A geisha's seductive sway? A samurai's swaggering march?"

"It's not like you ever acted the lady anyways," he muttered.

Kagome ignored the remark. "So why am I coming with you to visit my house, if I can't let people know I'm me?" she asked sarcastically.

"To give everyone there a good scare. To let your stepmother know that you haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. And after that, she'll consult with Naraku, and he'll come up with another half-witted plan." Which Sesshoumaru looked forward to thwarting.

They reached the main gate of the Higurashi mansion, where the guards told them to wait while they announced their arrival.

"I thought any visitors of equal or higher rank were to be let in immediately," Kagome whispered.

"The rules in your residence have changed," Sesshoumaru informed her. "Any visitors of equal or higher rank will be first announced, and only let in by your stepmother's orders. Anyone of lower rank will not be admitted unless arranged beforehand." This was one of Lady Higurashi's failed attempts at snobbery, for the general sentiment from the lesser nobility to this new house rule was that of disgust.

The guards at the gate took the opportunity to apologize to Lord Sesshoumaru. "We have orders," they said.

"How insincere," Kagome said, glaring at them.

Sesshoumaru sent her a look telling her to shut up.

She shrugged.

A man arrived from inside the house with a retinue of servants. "We apologize for the wait, Lord Sesshoumaru. Please, come in."

Sesshoumaru nodded and swept into the courtyard beyond. Kagome made to follow, but was stopped by the man.

"I need to see if you are carrying weapons," he said apologetically.

A smile lit up her face as Kagome recognized the man. "Orders… can be changed, Kotsu-kun," Kagome said, choosing her words carefully. Kotsu-kun. She was one who'd made the nickname up, and was the only one he allowed to use that. The other unfortunate people who'd tried to address him by that had been soundly thrashed.

His eyes widened. Before he had finished bowing and stepping aside she had already grabbed his arms and stepped inside.

"Dismissed," he told the rest of the servants, who all looked puzzled but said nothing.

When the last one had disappeared Bankotsu spun her around in a little circle gleefully. "Where've you been?" he asked. "How did you get away?"

"Long story," said Kagome. "But I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about our meeting."

"Of course," he said. "What type of a loyal servant do you take me for?"

"The best kind. How have you been?"

Sesshoumaru appeared next to them. "You do know I don't tolerate my maids flirting with other men," he said with an air of sternness, with a hinted look across the courtyard. A few servants were staring at them.

"I am so sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama" Kagome said, bowing deeply and exaggeratedly. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Come on," he said. "Our hostess will be here anytime soon."

"My third cup of tea," grumbled Kagome, "and they still haven't arrived yet."

"This is how things are done, lady," Bankotsu said politely. "But I could ask the servants to prepare a meal, if you like."

"Please do," Kagome said.

"_Someone's_ spoiled," Sesshoumaru said.

"Oh, but I'll say you were the one that wanted food," Kagome said. "It wouldn't do to boss the servants around, especially when I am only a servant myself."

Bankotsu smiled. "Do you think you can finish eating before the mistress comes?"

"Of course," Kagome said airily. "I haven't eaten for two days."

"Very well then," he said, snapping his fingers. A servant appeared. "Bring out three dishes," he ordered.

"Only three?" Kagome pouted.

"Now, my lady. We wouldn't want you to get fat, would we?" Bankotsu asked.

A maid arrived with a tray of food. Bankotsu grabbed the first one, a plate of fish, and began filleting the fish skilfully with chopsticks.

Kagome thanked him and started eating, occasionally passing him a piece.

"What?" snapped Kagome, seeing Sesshoumaru's look of disgust. "You don't share with your friends?"

"We don't eat with servants," he said. "And we fillet our fish ourselves."

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I believe you have it wrong," Bankotsu said respectfully. "Lady Higurashi and I are friends. If I fillet her fish, it is out of friendship, not duty. If she shares her food with me, it is her decision and not her obligation to reward a servant."

"Exactly," Kagome said. She picked up a piece of fish and offered it to Sesshoumaru.

"Want some?" she asked sweetly.

Lady Higurashi leapt up as the messenger arrived. The arrival of Lord Sesshoumaru had thrown her off completely, and she had quickly dispatched a missive to Naraku asked for advice.

"Naraku says to entertain Lord Sesshoumaru, but be sure to bring your daughter out, to show him you've taken her back," reported a runner. Naraku would surely have kicked himself if he met Lord Sesshoumaru's maid at the moment.

"Alright then," the woman said. "Kik – I mean, Kagome; Naraku has instructed us on what to do. Let's go greet our guest."

Kikyou nodded. "And our excuse for taking over an hour to meet him?"

The stepmother thought for awhile. "Umm… you and I were outside, looking at shops like at mothers and daughters do. We arrived home only a few minutes ago and came immediately to greet our guest."

"Excellent," said Kikyou. "Let's go then… Mother."

Kagome looked up, in the middle of her last dish, and saw her stepmother hurry in, closely followed by Kikyou.

"I _am_ sorry for the delay," she said, rather insincerely, noted Kagome. "Ki- Kagome, dear, greet Lord Sesshoumaru."

Kikyou took the cue right away and bowed deeply. Kagome stared, until her stepmother glanced her way, when she quickly dropped her gaze. It became painfully aware in the room that while Kagome was only a maid, she had a pair of chopsticks lifted towards her mouth.

Thinking quickly, Kagome popped the food in her mouth, chewed quickly, and swallowed.

"No poison, my lord," she said quickly, before bringing a mouthful to Sesshoumaru's lips.

He glared at her, but allowed her to feed him anyways.

Kagome could've sworn she heard Bankotsu sigh in relief.

"I have never seen your maid before," the stepmother began, attempting small talk.

"I found her just recently," Sesshoumaru said carelessly.

"She looks decent," the stepmother said. "Lift your head, dear, I want a good look at you."

Kagome lifted her head slightly. Kikyou gasped in recognition, before controlling herself.

Sesshoumaru feigned nonchalance and appeared to be in his diplomatic conversation mode. The stepmother looked as if she wanted him to leave and never come back. By the time Sesshoumaru decided to spare the poor woman by taking his leave she was shaking like a tree branch in the wind.

"Bankotsu, show our guests out," the stepmother squeaked out.

He nodded and slid the door open.

Sesshoumaru had already gone out on the street but Kagome dawdled behind.

Before the main gate, Bankotsu hesitated and looked at Kagome.

"Do you know your late father had a will?"

She looked surprised. "He made one? I was told he was too sick to even say anything before he died."

He looked grim. "The lord was. But that didn't mean he didn't anticipate his death. He made his will about a month before he died. It -" He paused. "Didn't Sesshoumaru tell you about it?"

"Huh? No… he probably wouldn't know about it."

"Probably," Bankotsu agreed, though Kagome knew he was lying. "Well, I hope I see you soon."

"Me too," Kagome said, hugging him tight before hurrying out on the street.

"You know, it isn't proper for young ladies to be so close to men," Sesshoumaru lectured. "Especially one of your status."

Kagome coughed. "Well, he's only a loyal servant. We grew up together, practically."

"Even more so why you should keep your distance."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't give me your etiquette lecture. I know what should and shouldn't be done."

"But your behaviour shows otherwise," he said calmly, shutting her up.

The panic mounted at the Higurashi household.

"He knows! He knows I'm an impostor and he brought her here to prove it, I just know it!" cried Kikyou.

"I don't think Lord Sesshoumaru knows." Lady Higurashi looked pale. "He acted all lordly with her. I think that's how she ran away; first, she ran towards his lands, then found a job in his palace. There's no way he knows."

"Impossible! She's been gone but three weeks. If she did find a job with Sesshoumaru, Kagome would have started off a low-ranking maid. Low-ranking servants don't accompany their masters on visits to other nobles," cried Kikyou anxiously.

The stepmother ran her fingers through her hair. "Who knows? You know how sneaky and resourceful that little wench is. She probably slept with him or something."

Kikyou laughed bitterly. "I wish. She would've saved me a lot of trouble if she were that willing to part with her innocence. There was a battle between the okiya mother and her for days on the issue of selling of her mizuage; and _she_ won."

"So what do we do now?"

Kikyou looked grim. "We cannot tell Naraku that Lord Sesshoumaru has Kagome. We will just have to bide our time."

"You know, this is actually fun," Inuyasha said, scrutinizing a rice cake. They were pouring over a colourful selection of confections, each equally tempting. A patient stall vendor waited for them to make their choices.

"I know," Kagome agreed, feeling light and comfortable in an airy haori outfit. She officially detested wearing armour. "I wonder why Sesshoumaru said he wanted to talk to Miroku and San – I mean, Kohaku…"

Inuyasha couldn't care. "Who would've thought Sesshoumaru would be so nice? Telling us to stay out of his way for the rest of the day; giving us fifteen silver nuggets to spend on tea and cakes. I mean, how dense is he when it comes to practical matters? Fifteen silver nuggets can buy silver cakes. You can buy a fourth-class courtesan at the Shimabara district for one nugget. And even _those_ girls are elegant."

"Ha, but Shimabara is in Tokyo, isn't it?"

"Whatever. It's not like I would spend a whole silver nugget on a woman, however elegant," snorted Inuyasha. "Rice cakes are so much more fulfilling."

Kagome was insulted, but didn't show it. After all, she _had_ been a geisha. "Yeah. Hey, try this one," she said, picking out a plump white cake, beautifully dusted with rice flour.

"Ok," Inuyasha said, handing over a coin to the vendor. He chewed it. "Red bean stuffing? Commonplace… but delicious," he added, chomping the rest down quickly.

"Your turn," she said easily, fingering her leather drawstring pouch of money.

"This one," he said, choosing a powder green one.

It was a fun game they were playing. One person chose the cake, the other person ate it and guessed at the flavour.

Kagome fished out the correct amount of coins, handed it over, and took the cake from Inuyasha.

"You gave me a hard one," she complained, chewing slowly. "Umm… green tea with a peanut stuffing."

The vendor said it was right, and Kagome picked a pale yellow cake.

"Corn! Yuck…"

"Nonsense! It's delicious!"

"Boy, you need serious help in your food preferences."

The vendor interrupted. "Actually, it was mung bean…"

"The palace staff will bring dinner in a few minutes," Sesshoumaru said.

"Umm… ok…" Kagome said, feeling slightly apprehensive. Sure, she was supposed to be a boy, but still. Her first instincts told her to protect her waistline. There was still a sweet taste from all those rice cakes in her mouth…

"I'm full," complained Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru eyed his brother. "How many rice cakes did you eat? Surely fifteen taels don't go far…"

Miroku's jaw dropped. "Don't go far? _Don't go far?_ Sesshoumaru, are you crazy? You could buy solid silver rice cakes with that much! You know, in the Shimabara district, a courtesan of the fourth rank can be bought for only one tael? And that is, a courtesan who is fully accomplished and trained by experts."

Sango frowned at the Shimabara comment, but added her own ideas. "Fifteen taels will buy you a new sword, top-grade… Though you would have to purchase your own materials."

"So how many cakes _did_ you eat?" demanded Sesshoumaru. He knew Inuyasha was a glutton at heart, but surely his brother had more control.

"The whole stall," Kagome said weakly, torn between feeling sick and laughing Sesshoumaru's lack of knowledge.

"And a whole street of stalls," added Inuyasha. "And buckets of tea to wash it down."

"And a steaming corncob each."

"And a thick slice of watermelon."

"We donated a few taels to a beggar."

"And had rickshaw ride home."

"There's still about seven nuggets left over," Kagome said, tipping the money onto a table.

Sesshoumaru stared expressionlessly at the silver. "Well, use it tomorrow."

Kagome nearly choked. "What? Another day of stuffing myself sick with rice cakes?"

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. Sango nodded sympathetically.

Sure enough Kagome and Inuyasha found themselves turned out by Sesshoumaru the next day onto the streets to amuse themselves while he attended to more important business.

"Here, poor dear," Kagome said, handing a package of rice cakes to a scruffy little boy. "Have something to eat."

"Well, that's the last of the rice cakes," Inuyasha said. "We must've bought all the rice cakes on sale."

"Definitely. So what do you want to do now?"

"Don't know… watch an opera?"

Kagome laughed disbelievingly. "You're an opera person?"

"No," he admitted.

"Well then, let's go do something else."

"Like?"

"I don't know. We'll look around, I guess."

And Inuyasha followed in wonder, wondering why his strange friend hadn't been born a girl.

"I checked up on what you wanted investigated," Sango said as she entered the room, bowing briefly.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "And?"

Sango began. "You asked for which of the Higurashi servants would still remain loyal to Kagome, and if needed, fight for her. Well, I told you straight off there was Bankotsu and myself. Bankotsu was promoted by Lady Higurashi to a very high, trusted level and commands almost all of the Higurashi fighters. He estimates a third of the men he commands would come to our aid if needed out of loyalty to the old lord. Also, seeing as another third of the fighters are samurai trained to follow orders, they will obey Bankotsu no matter how much they object. So we can count on almost two-thirds of the Higurashi force."

"But with Naraku's assistance, the Higurashi force left over will still equal fifteen thousand foot soldiers, four thousand five hundred samurai, a generous handful of ninjas and three thousand on horses."

Sango nodded gravely. "They will overwhelm Lord Kouga and Hojou combined."

"I think they will be able to decimate Bankotsu's men too." It was a possibility; the fight would be a close call and Sesshoumaru knew it would depend on timing and strategy.

"You are certain Bankotsu is loyal to Kagome," Sesshoumaru said icily.

"He is. He is also very loyal to any Higurashi in control. If he has to make a choice, my guess is that it will be Kagome over the stepmother, but if we don't get to him first, he may already start attacking on order," Sango said.

They would simply have to get to Bankotsu first.

"Any news of your sister?"

Miroku sighed, wishing Lord Sesshoumaru didn't sound so interrogatory all the time. "When you sent me investigating I doubted she'd be in Kyoto. They say she has been taken back into the residence by my stepmother, but that is hardly a plausible story. If they'd found her, they would've returned her in glee. The whole Japan would learn of it, and gossip."

So the priest didn't know, and it was obvious Kagome hadn't told him anything. Sesshoumaru would make she did it soon. "Never mind that matter; I need you to go back to the recruitment camp. Leave Houjo in charge, and summon Jaken to Kyoto. And also that woman Kagura… I presume you are familiar with her."

Miroku eyed the lord. "You have a plan," he said, "and you're not sharing it."

Sesshoumaru didn't deign to reply. "I expect you back by tomorrow, dawn."

Miroku sighed and left the room, making for the stables. Probably Sesshoumaru wanted Jaken and Kagura back for simple reasons. It would only be two more people to boss around…

"God, is this cute or what?" Kagome gasped, scooping up a soft white puppy with ears not unlike Inuyasha's.

Inuyasha cringed and flattened his ears against his head. He was beginning to think of his friend as seriously gay.

She, or he, looked thoughtful. "But I've got Buyo – my cat – at home. They'll fight; Buyo doesn't like dogs…"

Reluctantly she put the dog down. "Come on, Inuyasha, let's go somewhere else."

He watched the words form from 'his' perfect cherry lips.

He noticed the eyelashes, thick and curled, just like a girl's.

As Higurashi Kei walked, without his armour, the curves of his body showed through his clothes.

He had grace unlike Sesshoumaru's but like Kagura's.

And Inuyasha couldn't shake him from his head. He imagined that Kei was a girl…

And blushed bright red.

_I_, he told himself sternly, _am NOT gay_.


	9. Winning Bankotsu Over

**Chapter 9: Winning Bankotsu Over**

"We're back," Miroku announced, having fetched a grumpy Jaken and Kagura all the way to Kyoto.

Sesshoumaru looked up, next set of instructions ready. "Meet Sango in the next room; you'll be paying a visit to one of the Higurashis' top men, Bankotsu. Jaken, go with them."

"Yes, my lord!" Jaken said, marching briskly out of the room, Miroku following.

When the room was cleared, Sesshoumaru turned to Kagura. "Sit down."

She did so, a little uneasily. Kagura had entertained in parties where Lord Sesshoumaru had attended in the past, and he was always civil, but she didn't have him wrapped around her finger unlike the rest of her customer base. "What do you want with me?"

"Tell me all you know about Naraku," Sesshoumaru said.

Kagura's eyes widened. The shogun had once been her patron… but that was a long, long time ago.

_I am NOT_ _gay_, Inuyasha told himself for the thousandth time.

"Inuyasha, see this!" Kagome exclaimed, picking up a traditional wooden block doll. It was made of a cylinder of wood, with a head on top.

"What about it?" he asked, trying not to look bored. After all, it was a doll – _girl's_ toys.

"This is such a fun game," Kagome said, paying for the doll. She led Inuyasha to the street corner. "Here, watch."

The doll was segmented into horizontal blocks, stacked up each other to form the body. The doll's head perched on top.

"First you straighten the doll," Kagome said, patted the blocks making sure it was lined up. "Then…" She used a wooden hammer and whacked the bottom block away. The rest of the top blocks fell perfectly onto the ground, still stacked.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, grabbing the hammer. "That's impossible!"

"Try it," Kagome said.

He aimed his hammer for the bottom block…

It flew away, but the rest of the blocks collapsed down after it.

"You have to practice; do it fast and hard," Kagome explained. She restacked the doll, and took the hammer.

In quick succession, she hammered all the blocks away, each time, the rest falling perfectly in a neat stack. When only the doll head was left, she pushed everything towards Inuyasha.

"Here, you try again," she said.

"Ok, here goes," he said. He whacked the block hard. The rest, again, collapsed into a messy pile.

"You broke the block!" accused Kagome, picking up the block he'd hit. It was in two halves, chipped and cracked everywhere.

Inuyasha looked sheepish. "Sorry… but you told me to hit hard."

"Yeah, but not crack the block," Kagome said, rolling her eyes. "Now we'll have to go buy another one."

"_Another_ one?" Inuyasha asked, stifling a groan.

"You need to stop ripping the beanbags!" Kagome said, exasperated. She held the door open for him to walk through. Neither of them noticed Inuyasha's brother.

"Not my fault!" grumbled Inuyasha, his arm full of toys. "Anyways, I hope lunch is ready. I'm _so_ hungry – maybe we should've eaten a few rice cakes…"

"No! No more rice cakes! If I see another rice cake I will officially throw up!"

"You two, stop that racket," Sesshoumaru said. "This _is_ the Emperor's palace."

"Hey, what's Kagura doing here?" asked Inuyasha. The geisha ignored him coldly.

"Discussing strategies," replied Sesshoumaru in a tone that invited no further questioning.

"Yeah right," snorted Inuyasha to Kagome under his breath. "Discussing strategies, my ass. Does discussing strategies include paying lip service?"

"Inuyasha, don't be jealous that I wouldn't pay lip service to you even for a thousand gold pieces," Kagura said, ears picking up every word.

"Oooo… and if I paid you a thousand and one pieces?"

She squared her shoulders. "Sure, show me the money."

"Shut up," Inuyasha said, knowing he'd lost. "It's not like I would've paid all that money, anyways."

Kagura shot him a withering look.

"You do know if we get found out, we'll get killed," Bankotsu said warily.

Worse than killed, probably tortured and then killed, knowing the shogun's tendencies. Not that Bankotsu feared death, but he couldn't put the lives of innocent soldiers at risk.

"Afraid?" snorted Jaken. Higurashi servants were so useless, unlike Taisho servants.

"I don't want to risk necessary lives," Bankotsu retorted. "And if the threat of Naraku is as real as you make it out to be, if we fail, he will immediately take throne on account of Sesshoumaru's 'foul play'. In that case, we will all be slaughtered."

"This is absurd," complained Jaken. "Are you saying Sesshoumaru-sama will lose?"

"Ok, this is a battle not for the throne. It's a battle for the slaying of Naraku," Miroku interrupted.

Bankotsu stared. "Who happens to be the person Lady Higurashi trusts most at the moment."

"Naraku," Sango said scornfully. "He has subtly terrified her into doing his will. You know Lady Higurashi will back him no matter what, and when it comes down to battle unless you pull out your troops at the last minute and help us, we won't survive."

"You're on Sesshoumaru's side?" asked Bankotsu suspiciously. "Aren't you -"

"Talk to me later," Sango said, interrupting him. He had been about to ask about her Higurashi loyalties, of course, but Miroku didn't need to know of Kagome's secret, not yet.

A silence filled the room. "I want to meet with Lord Sesshoumaru," Bankotsu said finally.

"Sama, you idiot, sama! Sesshoumaru-_sama_, what's so hard about saying that?" Jaken hopped up and down, waving his staff indignantly.

"I will inform you of a meeting date," Miroku said. "Jaken, let's go, before you hurt someone."

Bankotsu grabbed Sango and held her behind while the other two left.

"Whose side are you on?" he demanded.

She stiffened. "It's… complicated. Only a few people know Kei is Kagome."

"Why hide it? She only did it to run away. Now, that Kikyou is playing at being Kagome, Kagome has to reveal who she is before it's too late," Bankotsu said.

Sango agreed with Bankotsu, but he needed to see the bigger picture. "The geisha house she was sold to suffered losses! They paid lots of money for her, and then she went missing." As if that weren't bad enough, Naraku and Lady Higurashi went back to the same okiya, demanding Kikyou as replacement. They okiya had had no choice but to hand her over, but if they heard Kagome was back, they would probably kidnap her to try and offset their losses.

Bankotsu tapped his foot impatiently. "But if she's under Sesshoumaru's protection…"

"And it's not that simple. Do you know that the Higurashi line did have a male heir?" Sango asked.

"I heard… rumours…" Bankotsu sounded slightly sceptical.

"Well, it's true. Kagome's stepmother abandoned a baby boy named Miroku Higurashi away to a monastery and claimed Lord Higurashi's heir was dead. At that time, she didn't think of Kagome as a threat; Kagome was only a girl. But later, when Lord Higurashi died and the second Lady Higurashi had no children, she sold Kagome to take control."

Bankotsu halted, his grip tightening. "What do you mean… brother?" Kagome had a brother? It was impossible. There was no way the woman, Lady Higurashi, could have pulled off such a vindictive plan… actually, the more Bankotsu thought about it, the more it seemed in keeping with her character.

"It's true, we checked," Sango informed Bankotsu. "He has a glowing purple character for 'intelligence' on his arm. And he keeps saying he's searching for his sister, except he has no clue his sister is Kagome. Who is Kei now, really."

"And you're not telling him? Miroku could come back and take over if he really was heir!" A male heir to the household. This was something that would sit well with servants and other lords alike. Bankotsu himself would not really have approved of his dear Kagome taking the reins. "If what you say about Miroku is true, the tattoo is proof enough he is the Higurashi heir. With Kagome's word, he would be accepted immediately."

Sango rolled her eyes. "You think I don't want to tell him? But those two siblings are hopeless! Miroku hasn't figured out who Higurashi Kei is and you know what a terrible man Kagome makes? And to think he has the character for 'intelligence' on his arm. Kagome is worse, she won't tell him 'until the time is right!'"

"Listen, I think we need to teach those two a few things about each other," Bankotsu said.

"Yeah, and Kagome would kill me," complained Sango. "I'm only her maid."

Bankotsu snorted. They both knew Sango was more than just a maid.

"Well, we'll be extra-careful and make it look like an accident so that Miroku finds out Kagome is not Kei."

"Like what, him walking in on her bathing? You know what sort of pervert that priest is? He'll be screwing his own sister before he knows it!" Horrified, Sango tried not to think about it.

"Oh… so what do we do? Who knows, asides from you and I?" asked Bankotsu.

Sango bit her lip. "Well, the current Lady Higurashi does, along with Kikyou. According to Kagome, she and Sesshoumaru paid you all a visit the other day."

"They did," confirmed Bankotsu, "and they sent Kikyou and the lady into a flurry of anxiety."

"Lord Sesshoumaru knows, of course. And Kagura. Kagura knew from the beginning."

If Bankotsu remembered correctly, Kagura was the famous ex-mistress of Naraku. Their relationship and subsequent break-up had been the talk of the geisha world. "How do we know the secret's safe, then?"

Sango remembered Sesshoumaru saying something about it, and she repeated this to Bankotsu. "Kagura's a geisha; their rule is silence. As for Lady Higurashi and Kikyou, they are too cowed to tell – impersonating a lord's daughter is a crime punishable by death and Kikyou could never tell without revealing Lady Higurashi's role as well."

"You sure?" asked Bankotsu worriedly. "If someone paid Kagura off…"

Sango didn't see the problem – a geisha's career and success depended on her taciturnity. A geisha didn't get far blurting which lord decided to have a midnight fling with which girl. If Kagura ever told, her career would be over. Besides, Kagura was not that sort of person, and Sango knew she admired Kagome for escaping her okiya.

Of course, Inuyasha would love to find out the true identity of Higurashi Kei as well. Sango smiled secretly to herself. She could always try and extort the hanyou.

Inuyasha knew there was something different about Kei. But for the thousandth time, he couldn't figure out what.

He tried to sound casual, and approached Kagome over dinner with the rest of the group. "Kei, are you keeping something from me?"

"What – no," Kagome said, hastily drinking some soup from her bowl before Inuyasha could see her flaming red face.

Kagura, the geisha she was, automatically moved to patch up the awkward moment. "So, Inuyasha, what did you two do today?"

"Oh, we played with toys…"

This seemed to pique Kagura's interest. "Toys? Like the kind you play during New Year's? Oh, by the way, it's very nearly winter already, isn't it? Gosh it was so cold this morning I could barely get dressed."

"Umm… yes…" stammered Inuyasha. He didn't have much experience with being attended to by pretty women, Sesshoumaru noted.

"Speaking of bad weather, the priests think it will rain tomorrow," Kagome said, taking pity on Inuyasha and rescuing him from Kagura, giving the other woman a sly grin.

"Really? I don't remember predicting as such," Miroku said casually, entering the room, Sango and Jaken in tow.

Kagura grinned. "Well, if it isn't our brave gallant Miroku-sama. Here, sit besides me."

"Thank you, Kagura," Miroku said, flopping over on the tatami besides her. "I've had _such_ a tiring day, you _can't_ begin to imagine…"

"Um, Miroku, we were _eating_, maybe you should lay off the sick stuff for later," Inuyasha said.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, Bankotsu says he wants to meet with you to discuss things further," Sango said.

"Jaken can go arrange a time with Bankotsu." Casually, Sesshoumaru met Inuyasha's amused face. Kagome could swear it was a rare in-joke.

"Sesshoumaru-sama? N-now?" asked Jaken, a piece of sushi halfway in his mouth.

"Oh, go on, Jaken," grinned Inuyasha. "You wouldn't dream of disobeying your lord, would you?"

"Of course not," Jaken huffed, abandoning the sushi. He got up slowly… But not before reaching over and grabbing two rice balls that each fitted in the palm of his hand.

"Pig," Inuyasha grumbled. "You _had_ to take the last pork one, did you?"

"Mine," called Kagome, scooping up the last two.

"Oi! I didn't even get one!" Miroku cried. "You've had, what, seven?"

"Eight," Kagome said, biting into a teriyaki chicken rice ball.

"Unfair! You'd better give me that last one on your plate!"

"Who cares?" Kagome put down the chicken rice ball and took a bite out of the other. "You still want it?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

"Alright, that was _not_ fair," Miroku grumbled. "You just wait, I'll… I'll take the last prawn tempura!"

"What?" shouted Sango, banging down her rice bowl. "I _said_ I wanted that!"

"Well, blame your friend Kei for stuffing himself with eight rice balls."

"Hey, I've had just rice balls and soup," Kagome complained. "I'd better take some more food now in case all the good stuff's gone." She picked up the last few pieces of sashimi and placed them on her plate.

"Keep your chopsticks OFF!" roared Inuyasha.

"What?" Kagome yelled, defiantly eating a piece of salmon.

"If none of you shut up," warned Sesshoumaru, "you are all leaving the palace and going to a cheap inn."

A hush fell immediately on the room.

"Excellent job," Sesshoumaru said sarcastically. "Well, Kagura, if it's not too much trouble, go ask the kitchens for more rice balls and sashimi."

"And you wonder why I hate my brother's guts," Inuyasha whispered loudly to Miroku.

He'd prepared long statements and a whole list of questions, but all Bankotsu's grand speeches dissipated as he sat in front of Lord Sesshoumaru. The inu demon had somehow mastered the art of looking politely interested yet unimpressed at the same time.

"My retainer says you want to speak to me," Sesshoumaru stated.

"Ah, yes. I - I am pleased to stand up against evil like Naraku," Bankotsu said hesitantly, "but not at the expense of thousands of lives. I would like to know your plan, and your retreat route."

Sesshoumaru glared. "I don't retreat. But as for a plan, the grounds are already set nicely for that."

"Which is?"

"Naraku has laid so many traps; he's bound to get tangled in one. Like the Kikyou-Kagome trap. If Kagome really wanted to stand up and fight for her rights, Kikyou would be sentenced to death. And Kikyou, being the selfish coward she is, will tell on Lady Higurashi's side of the story. And Lady Higurashi will then reveal Naraku's hand in the plot."

"So why not do that? Why engage in battle?"

Sesshoumaru looked dismissive. "Don't be so full of yourself. That plan is unstable as of yet. Kagome is a woman, and a runaway geisha at that. Runaway geishas don't get their stories heard easily."

"My concern is not who will be Emperor. I want to restore the rightful leader of the clan I serve," Bankotsu said, clenching his jaw. "But if this whole event jeopardizes the safety of Miroku and Kagome... I won't go along."

"Either way you cannot guarantee their safety for much longer," Sesshoumaru said bluntly. "Considering that you failed to protect Kagome Higurashi from her stepmother to begin with."

There had never been a more dismissive statement, and Bankotsu rose silently and made his way out of the room.

Sliding open the door, Bankotsu bumped straight into Kagome, who was slightly bent over as though her ear had been stuck to the door a few moments ago.

"This way," she whispered, dragging him into an empty room.

"Alright, what's up with you and Sesshoumaru?" demanded Kagome, shutting the door. "You don't seem to like taking orders from him."

Bankotsu shifted. "It's… complicated."

"How so?"

He shrugged, looking at his feet. "Ancient family feud…. One of my ancestors, Genkotsu, was a demon-slayer a few hundred years ago. He fell in love with the most beautiful woman of those days."

This sounded like a good story. Kagome smiled a little. "Let me guess. She was youkai."

"Not just that. She was youkai, and she was the Lady of the Western Lands."

Not a good idea, mused Kagome. "And so the Western taiyoukai didn't like it and killed Genkotsu?"

"Not really, no. Rather, Genkotsu was shocked that he was lusting after a youkai, the very beings he killed for a living. The shock was too much for him to bear. So while the lady was strolling in her garden, he killed her. He hoped that by bringing about her death his love would disappear."

"Did it?"

"No. He was tormented by guilt and longing. Naturally, the Lord of the Western Lands flew into a rage, and decided to kill Genkotsu."

"Serves him right," scoffed Kagome, "lusting after someone else's wife."

"So that's how it began. Genkotsu's son then went on to avenge his father. He failed, and got killed. This has gone on for generations," he added bitterly.

"Your two families are still fighting?" asked Kagome incredulously. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Bankotsu begged to differ. "We aren't fighting per se. My uncle Suikotsu made a shaky peace with Sesshoumaru's father so we don't try to kill each other the moment we see each other, but we aren't exactly the best of allies, either."

Kagome bit her lip. If Bankotsu didn't help them against Naraku, they would not be in a good position.

"So, what's up with you and Miroku, anyways?" Bankotsu asked. "Why don't you tell him about your relationship with him? He's waiting for you to tell him."

She shook her head. "It isn't the right time yet. Who told you about his identity?"

"Sango – and only because she cared for you."

"I understand. But I forbid you to tell anyone," ordered Kagome. "When the time is right, I will let Miroku know."


	10. Naraku's Insidious Plot

**Chapter 10: Naraku's Insidious Plot**

"They say Kagura has returned to Kyoto on Sesshoumaru's orders, sir," Kanna reported quietly.

"She has, has she?" smirked Naraku. He remembered that little bitch.

"Yes, Lord Naraku."

"Excellent. We must thank Sesshoumaru sometime for this advantage he has given us."

"In what sense, lord?" Kanna didn't particularly like Kagura too much, but she cringed anyways. Naraku's idea of 'advantages' were not always too fun for others.

Kagura was probably having the time of her life, servicing a new rich handsome youkai. Naraku envied the bastard. "Kanna, show me her whereabouts."

The mirror shimmered, before an image swam into view. Kagura was sitting alone, in a beautifully decorated room.

"Let me talk to her."

Kanna bowed, and set the mirror on a low table before leaving quietly.

"Kagura," Naraku said to the mirror, a sly grin on his face. "Kagura, it's me."

Her eyes widened in the mirror, to Naraku's amusement.

"You rememer how much money I spent on you? Buying you expensive kimono and jewellery; paying for you to perform at the Spring Dances… You disappoint me, Kagura."

She was shivering, Naraku noted with glee.

"You _would_ turn your back on me so easily. Don't forget, Kagura, I know your secrets. Your dirtiest, darkest secrets."

Her lips were trembling. "Now, Kagura, don't cry. You _do_ remember me, don't you? Our nights together… The time you wanted some vicious girl in your okiya gone and I helped you? The time -"

He cut himself off abruptly. "Find her, Kagura. Find that Kagome Higurashi and bring her to me."

Kagura trembled for ages after Naraku's voice appeared in her head.

Oh, how could she have ever been so stupid? Swept off her feet by the powerful shogun, she had thought his affirmations of love for her were true. Happily, she had agreed to a blood bond with Naraku. One that would let him into her head whenever he wished to see her thoughts.

Now, he was only interested in using that bond for his own purposes. Kagura didn't know why he wanted Kagome, but she knew it wasn't going to be good.

His blood ran through hers. He would talk to her in her head – drive her to insanity with his constant ranting and rambling.

Her head drooped. The room seemed so cold, so cold…

The news of Kagura's bond with the shogun did not go down well with the rest.

"Get rid of it," Sesshoumaru ordered. "You have to sever the bond."

"I can't! It's there for eternity!" If she could, Kagura would have done so a long time ago.

"And you're going to let him drive you insane for eternity?" Sango asked. "He can talk to you through the bond. He will know your thoughts. Nothing will be safe from him."

"So send me back," Kagura said. "Return me to my okiya. Tell me none of your battle tactics."

"What did Naraku say to you, Kagura?" asked Inuyasha.

Kagura paused. "He wants Kagome. But…" Kagura shot a glance at Kagome, "he doesn't know where to find her."

"That cannot be allowed," Sesshoumaru said. "Kei, do you know any mikos around here? The only way blood bonds can be broken is by the command of a miko…"

"I know a miko?" asked Kagome.

"Go and find one," he said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I know a miko!" Kagome said brightly, walking out confusedly.

"And I will assist your search," said Sesshoumaru, to the surprise of Inuyasha and the rest.

"I don't know any mikos aside from Kaede!" Kagome exclaimed when they left the group.

"She did teach you to shoot arrows?"

"Well, yes, a few"

"Good. You will purify Kagura of Naraku's blood." Sesshoumaru handed her a bow and arrows.

"Halt!" Kagome said. "Just because I can handle archery doesn't make me a miko."

He pointed to the other side of the room. "Try," he said.

"And blast a hole through the window?"

Sesshoumaru merely waited.

"Fine! Just wait till they send the bill for a broken window. I heard the price of shoji screening has gone up," mumbled Kagome. Kagome preferred a sword to arrows, no question. Arrows were clumsy; a bow had to be dragged around with it. Swords were light and easy to use.

Sighing, she notched an arrow and aimed for the window. She pulled it taut, just until it quivered, like Kaede had taught her.

Releasing it, the arrow flew quickly, a miserably wisp of blue light following it.

Sesshoumaru reached out, and caught the arrow quickly before it ripped any windows.

"You're a miko," he announced.

"Am not!" exclaimed Kagome, fingering her bow.

"Then explain this." He held out the hand he had caught the arrow with. A long streak of burned skin lay across the length of his palm.

"Uhhh…" Kagome began.

"The point is, if you were stronger, this would have purified me to hell and back. Well, it wouldn't have – I could've dodged this easily," he clarified, getting a loud snort from Kagome. "But if you work on your powers you should make a good enough miko."

Kagome's ears perked up at the last few words. "_Good enough_! What do you mean, good enough?"

She'd show the bastard. Training, he wanted her to do? Fine.

Of course Kagome agreed to training before she realized what exactly it entailed. While the sky was still pitch black, Sesshoumaru had hauled her out of the middle of her sleep only to shove her onto the freezing training grounds outdoors.

"I need… sleep…" moaned Kagome.

"I thought you were trained as an able fighter; surely you don't crave sleep after a few hours of practice?" Sesshoumaru said.

"Training? This isn't training! This is bedtime exercises! Fighting is with fists and weapons!"

"A bow and arrow is a weapon," he countered. "And until you hit that target, you are not going back to bed."

"I never asked for night time training! Why can't I train in the day?"

"Well, seeing as you so _cleverly_ dressed a boy, we can't have others see you are a miko, can we?" Sesshoumaru said simply.

Kagome marched up to the tree trunk. A lopsided man had been carved onto it by some palace servant already as a type of training target. She was supposed to aim for his heart, but…

She grabbed a slim dagger for her side and added a bit more detail to the tree trunk.

For example, long hair, two swords, a crescent moon and face stripes. Pointy ears, clawed hands, and…

To finish off her artwork, Kagome carved neat characters onto the bark.

"You wrote the second character for my name wrong," Sesshoumaru said, surveying her handiwork critically.

"Oh, shut up. And you watch; I'll make _this_ target."

"If you'd stopped your arguing and used that energy on training instead we would make so much more progress."

He just always _had_ to be right, grumbled Kagome silently.

And she let the arrow fly into the Sesshoumaru target.

Which caused an uproar among the palace servants the next morning.

"Apparently someone shot an arrow into a tree trunk on the grounds, and burned a hole right through it," said a palace servant.

"What of it?" asked Sesshoumaru, devoid of expression.

"Well, they had first carved your name on it. People say this is a black miko trying to curse -"

"Nonsense."

It took awhile to convince the terrified servant otherwise.

"I hate being a boy," complained Kagome, aching and running on very little sleep.

"A bit late to grumble," Sesshoumaru said. "Kagura, any news from Naraku? Because even if Kagome genuinely attempts to become a miko, she won't be getting anywhere for at least two weeks."

Kagura shook her head."No. I think he only wants Kagome, and he'll be patient."

"Really?" whispered Naraku in her head. "How patient? Tattling to Sesshoumaru-sama now, are you? Good. I like that. He'll be _so_ furious when you snatch the girl from under his nose, especially when he knows my plans."

Kagura froze, petrified. Kagome looked at her uneasily.

"Nothing," Kagura said.

"Look, palm reading," Miroku said, pointing to a stall with curiosity. He had meant to sneak off with Inuyasha to visit one of the Gion teahouses again, but found out Inuyasha had no money on him.

"What?" asked Inuyasha.

"Palm reading," he repeated. "Let's take a look."

Inuyasha stared. "You crazy? Only superstitious old women go for palm readings!"

"Oh, nonsense," Miroku said, heading for the stand. "You _need_ your fortune told."

"Hell no!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"Hell yes. How much per palm, madam?" Miroku asked the old lady in a tattered miko's garb.

"Depends on the palm," she said quietly.

"Ok, me first," Miroku said, sitting across from the miko.

She grabbed his palm and barely studied it before glaring at him. "Perverseness gets you nowhere."

"Oh, but it does," he replied cheekily.

She ignored him. "You have a goal to fulfil, but at the rate you're going, you'll never get there."

"Get where?" Inuyasha asked, intrigued.

"Get to his goal," the miko said.

"Ok, Inuyasha, you were right; this _is_ stupid."

The miko looked haughty. "You two have absolutely no appreciation of the finer arts."

"Hey, maybe we should use her to purify Kagura's blood bond," Miroku whispered.

"You don't even know if you can trust her!" Inuyasha argued.

"Fine, fine," Miroku sighed, walking away.

"And, young man with the golden eyes, I should remind you," the miko called after them. "Homosexuality is normal, and lovers aren't always who they seem."

"Crazy," muttered Inuyasha, flushing red, remembering a certain Kei.

The miko watched them till they vanished out of sight.

"Naraku, I have what you want," she said. Her greying hair was a sheet of silky black and her lips were a deep red. Wrinkles were replaced with smooth pale skin.

"I heard, I heard," he said crossly, coming out from the teashop behind the palm reading stall.

"They plan to get a miko to get rid of the blood bond."

"She would have to be damned good," Naraku said calmly. "And since Midoriko there hasn't been a miko that can be classified 'damned good'."

"You never know," murmured the dark miko.

"Well, except for you, of course," Naraku said with a little smile.

"Flattery gets you no place; you owe me money, good sir."

"Later, later," Naraku said, gliding down the street.

"I can't continue teaching you," Sesshoumaru said a few days later.

"Why, scared I'll purify you to hell and back one day?" Kagome asked, shattering another tree trunk with her arrow. She had improved a tad, she was pleased to note, although Sesshoumaru was stingy with his praise.

"For the obvious reasons; I'm _not_ a miko," he snapped. "And not to mention your powers are shooting out of control. Do you know any women of use to us?"

"Kaede?" Kagome said. "My old nurse. Very, very feisty old woman, who has more strength in her left than some healthy young men. And you'd better be nice, because _she'll_ purify your ass and send the pieces to hell."

"For a noble-born lady, your use of language is appalling," noted Sesshoumaru. "Where can we find this Kaede?"

"Back the recruitment camp village."

"I assume she helped you escape."

Kagome nodded vigorously. "She's been a big help."

"Jaken will fetch her tomorrow," said Sesshoumaru.

"So can I go to bed for tonight?" Kagome said hopefully.

He dashed her hopes, as usual. "Later. I want to see what you can do on the battlefield."

"Wait, this isn't honourable," Kagome said, trying not to stammer. Her? Against Sesshoumaru? She knew she was good but she wasn't _that_ good.

"We are not fighting for real. But I would think a person trained by the late Lord Higurashi would have acceptable skills," taunted Sesshoumaru.

"Well, guess what? I never paid attention to my father's boring lessons," lied Kagome.

"We'll see about that," he said. "Try hands-on combat."

"Can't I verse Inuyasha or someone? You'd still be able to see my abilities."

"Yes, I would _see_, but I wouldn't_ know_."

"But -" Kagome stopped short when five claws just barely missed her face.

Ok, that bastard was bossy enough; she didn't need him to hit her either. Kagome Higurashi would smile when he ate dirt. She caught the sword he threw her and raced towards himself, drawing her blade.

They clashed.

Though, after a round of hard fighting, Kagome could barely see how she could defeat him. He knew every rule in the book, and added in a few ones. Within seconds she was forced into defence mode, blocking and ducking helplessly.

Swordplay. Technically one of her least favourite areas. In her opinion, swords were almost all clumsy and cumbersome. You have to drag those rods of metal around, for god's sakes. That said her dislike of the sword didn't stop it from being her forte. Her father had had a motto: If you do not enjoy the activity, learn to enjoy it.

Hours of practice were finally paying off. She knew her moves well, and performed them effortlessly.

Unfortunately, so did Sesshoumaru.

Up, down. Across, backwards. Slash, parry. Spin, duck.

If they had been putting on a show, it would've been a great show.

Her mind wandered. Inuyasha. Now, compared to his damned brother, Inuyasha was the perfect man. Maybe not as beautiful but certainly gorgeous in his own way. Not to mention, Inuyasha was _way_ nicer to her.

Kagome was brought back to the present by a sharp pressure on her arm. Blood was seeping out; staining her clothes, and she gasped more from shock than pain.

"You hit a nerve end!" Kagome exclaimed, sinking to the ground dramatically. "I'll never move my arm again, you idiot!"

Sesshoumaru sheathed his sword and examined the cut closer. "You'll live, it's barely -"

She leapt up and pushed him back.

"Got you," Kagome said triumphantly, grabbing her sword at the last minute and holding it to his throat.

"That was dishonourable," he said, holding perfectly still.

Kagome looked nonchalant. "It's not like honour gets you anywhere when you're up against a thousand year-old youkai."

"I must've cut myself in my sleep," Kagome lied, rubbing her arm. "You know, some people sleepwalk. Maybe I sleepfight."

The rest seemed satisfied, but Kaede cast a disapproving look at Kagome. No, Kagome couldn't lie to Kaede, not ever.

"Maybe you should see a doctor," Inuyasha suggested anxiously.

"No, I'm fine," Kagome insisted.

"She'll be fine," Kaede said, pulling the bandage around her arm extra-tight.

Kagome yelped and snatched her hand away. "Oww! That hurt."

God, he acts just like a girl, Inuyasha thought in wonderment.

"I don't want any water touching that cut," Kaede ordered. "And please, no more rough exercises to reopen the wound."

Kagome shot Sesshoumaru a victorious glare. No more midnight battles. It wouldn't be… _honourable_ to fight the injured.


	11. Miko in the Making

**Chapter 11: Miko in the Making**

"I _do_ sleepfight!" Kagome insisted.

"Very good. Try again. Please, no more fairy stories," Kaede said.

They were alone during Kagome's bath; she sank deeper into the water, careful not the wet her wound.

"Someone ordered me to display my limited knowledge of fighting skills, alright?" Kagome said.

"You would think you'd listen to an experienced miko, but _no_, you always go off fighting the boys," grumbled Kaede reproachfully.

"What boy? That wretched son of a damned bitch kept me up till I nearly collapsed from exhaustion, then he decides to have me beat him hand-to-hand!" exclaimed Kagome. As far as she was concerned Sesshoumaru was no boy.

"Language, Kagome!" Kaede said, shocked.

"To hell with etiquette," grumbled Kagome. "Naraku wants me dead, or something like that. There's no time to fuss with good manners and proper appearances. Besides, I'm a boy, which everyone seems to keep forgetting."

"Madam, you aren't a very convincing boy," Kaede told her. "And how do you expect to get a husband if you never act properly?"

"I doubt anyone would want to marry me," snorted Kagome. "Anyways, it's not like _you've_ ever been married. So spare me that 'virtuous wife' talk you like to give."

"Living with all those men in that camp _did_ affect your manners," sighed Kaede.

Kagome didn't reply to that. "I don't want to be a miko," she said stubbornly. To hell with Sesshoumaru.

Kaede rolled her eyes; "When you were younger, learning embroidery and tea ceremony was bad. So your father put you in the schoolroom, where you complained of the work and quickly picked up those domestic tasks. Then, you were placed on the dojo where, to escape _that_, you learned to read and write and do figures. And then you got signed up for basic miko training and all of a sudden? The dojo looked _damned_ good to you. Now, you're refusing to marry, which basically means you don't mind becoming a miko."

"You said 'damned'," Kagome pointed out cheekily. "And no, I don't want to become a miko. But it's pretty fun to learn."

"Why, because you get coached by a gorgeous youkai?" Sango asked slyly, slipping into the room.

"What? Kaede, a gorgeous youkai?" Kagome asked, feigning ignorance. "If I must say so, I prefer Inuyasha to Sesshoumaru. Did you ever see such adorable ears? Which reminds me, I have to go find Inuyasha. I haven't talked to him for ages."

"No, you don't," Kaede said. "We start training as soon as possible."

"I advise you to stay away from Inuyasha," Sango said. "He thinks he's turning gay."

Kagome snorted with laughter, splashing a spray of water from her tub. "Gay? Inuyasha? He has obviously never met Bankotsu's brother."

"Got to… taste… that… hot guy's… blood… on… my sword…" Sango said, gasping realistically, like Jakotsu had done once.

"Enough of playing! Out of that tub, this instant," Kaede said.

"Yes, madame," Kagome sighed, reaching for a towel. She wrapped herself in a men's yukata and went back to their rooms.

"How are you feeling?" Inuyasha asked, as Kagome tested his futon by flopping on it hard.

"Huh?" Kagome looked at him quizzically. She wasn't suffering from any illness, as far as she knew.

"Your arm," he said, looking at her arm hidden by the plain white men's yukata she wore.

"Just a cut," Kagome said as manly-like as she could. "I'm fine, thanks."

A peaceful silence grew between them; Kagome lounging around on his crisp futon (Kaede was trying to straighten hers out) and Inuyasha sitting perfectly still.

"They changed the tatami," Inuyasha said after awhile.

"I know." She didn't need to have a demon's sensitive nose to smell the fresh scent of new tatami matting. She changed the subject. "Do you play a musical instrument?"

"No."

"Compose poetry?"

"Barely."

"Write essays?"

"Never."

"Draw?"

"Depends."

"Well, if you don't do anything, how am I supposed to hold a conversation with you?" demanded Kagome, sitting up.

Inuyasha quirked a brow. "What do you want to talk about?"

Kagome looked thoughtful. "The arrogance of your brother."

"Half-brother," corrected Inuyasha. This was a topic he could jump on any day, though.

Kagome grinned. "Ok. You know, he's really into the 'I'm-a-youkai-jerk' attitude."

"Try being his little worthless hanyou brother."

"No thanks," Kagome shuddered, to the amusement of Inuyasha.

"Well, he's not that bad if you think about it. Imagine if you had a pervert like Miroku for a brother."

"I don't have to imagine," Kagome snorted, while Inuyasha missed the joke completely.

Kagome felt like taking back what she said about Sesshoumaru being a bad teacher, because Kaede was far worse in the grand scheme of things.

The older woman shook her head. "No, hold your arms higher. You look like a miko dropping off to sleep. Mikos uphold the name of the gods – your pose must be perfect. Back straight, arms taut when holding the bow, knees relaxed, shoulders -"

"You know, if I'm trying to purify a youkai, or save myself from being attacked, by the time I finish perfecting my stance, the only people who'll admire it will be the ones who are fetching my dead body," Kagome said cheekily.

Kaede ignored her. "And those people must be greeted with a regal sight."

"Oh, so now I'm not _regal_ enough," Kagome snorted. "Should you invite Lord Sesshoumaru to come and teach me _regality_?"

"Maybe I will," fumed Kaede, her patience wearing thin.

"I can't decide what's worse, having you or Sesshoumaru," muttered Kagome under her breath, trying to hold her bow and arrow in the pose Kaede was trying to teach her.

"Of course it's better having me," someone said from right behind her.

Kagome stiffenend immediately. "Who invited _you_?" demanded Kagome, blushing slightly.

"Thought I'd check on my protégée." His lips curved into a tiny, mocking smirk.

"Go away," Kagome said hotly.

"Oh, sorry. Maybe _Inuyasha_ would be more welcome. Don't worry yourself, I'll go fetch him."

How dare he, seethed Kagome. How _dare_ Sesshoumaru read her like an open book?

"Two seconds, my lady. I will fetch the desired gentleman." He began backing away slowly.

Rage boiled over in Kagome. No one – _no one_ – had the right to tease her that way.

There was an arrow in her bow.

Kagome purposefully 'accidentally' let the arrow fly.

Surely it would teach that ass Lord Sesshoumaru a lesson, when the thing got stuck in his arm.

But Kagome hadn't banked on her aiming being so terrible.

She watched, horrified, as the arrow made for his heart.

He ducked, but not far enough. The arrow drove right through his shoulder.

Kagome watched, dumbfounded, as the arrow sent him flying onto a tree right behind him, pinning him to the bark.

And then she screamed.

His eyes were beginning to close. He felt sleepy.

Impossible. Unless that stupid girl had… No. She wasn't powerful enough. And the arrow hadn't even hit his heart.

Voices were being raised, from afar.

"Kagome, that was… stupid. You know you're going to put him to sleep for eternity?" It was the old miko.

"What? I didn't mean to!" Stupid, stupid girl.

"Well, can you free him?"

"I don't know – I mean, _no_! He can go to sleep forever for all I care!"

"Kagome, that's not appropriate behaviour. And when he wakes up, I suggest you apologize."

"NO! He was being a… a…"

Sesshoumaru could fight it. He would stay awake…

"It must've been on my mother's side. Her sister was a miko – I might have been born with spiritual powers," lied Kagome. "I was practicing with my arrows, I missed the target and got Sesshoumaru instead…" The important thing was, she revealed to no one her true gender.

"Lord…" murmured Inuyasha. Then his face broke into a giant grin. "You owned the bastard!"

"I never knew his tail was so furry," Miroku said, touching the silvery white apparition that wrapped itself protectively around the taiyoukai.

Lord Sesshoumaru would throw a fit if he woke to see an audience staring at his like a curious artefact in a museum. To the group, it was the perfect chance to examine the icy youkai up close.

"Check out the hair," Sango said, fingering the long silver strands.

"He'll kill you all if he wakes up now," Inuyasha warned.

"Which is why he's _not_ going to wake up until after awhile," Kagome said, admiring her shot.

"Then he'll certainly kill you when he wakes up."

"Maybe it's better to keep him this way forever," Kagome said, cocking her head to one side.

"I suggest you take that arrow out now," Kaede said sternly.

Kagome pouted. She really didn't want to.

"Oh, the joys of having a fluffy little tail…" sang Miroku.

"Miroku, stop that, it doesn't look right," Inuyasha said, grimacing.

"Sorry," Miroku said. "It's just so…" Irrestible, was the word for Lord Sesshoumaru's tail.

Kaede put her foot down. "Kagome Higurashi, you will release Sesshoumaru-sama this instant!"

"It was an accident! And he was being mean," retorted Kagome.

"Kagome Higurashi, you are taking it out _this instant_ or I'll have something to say about it," warned Kaede.

"You've already said oceans about it."

The nurse glared. "And don't talk back."

"Fine, _FINE_!" Kagome snapped. "Just bury my dead body when he wakes up." Gingerly, she tiptoed and reached out for the arrow buried in Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

Wrapping her fingers around it, Kagome gave it a firm tug.

Golden eyes flew open to glare at her.

"I… I'm sorry…" squeaked Kagome.

The rest of the spectators disappeared in an instant.

"You," Sesshoumaru said quietly, "cracked my armour."

"I'll buy you a new one," Kagome said quickly.

He straightened himself regally. "It was a brand-new, expensive bit of armour, custom-ordered and crafted with the best materials." Sesshoumaru looked down at the miko-in-training. "I'm afraid, Lady Higurashi, you owe me quite a bit of money."

"The best part is, it's not even scratched!" exclaimed Kagome in fury. Just a tiny nick on the corner of the metal and Sesshoumaru had to go on about it being _cracked_ and how it was his favourite armour because of sentimental value and -

"I don't think he was quite so wordy about it," Kaede reminded her.

"Whatever. I'm not buying him new armour. What, is he going to buy me new arrows because I lost one when I shot him?" grumbled Kagome.

As though on perfect cue a servant knocked, and entered.

"Lord Sesshoumaru says to bring you this," the servant said, bowing. He placed seven beautifully crafted arrows in front of them, bowed, and made his way out.

Kaede couldn't help but crack a grin as Kagome howled in fury at the Western Lord's foresight.

Grudgingly, she dragged Inuyasha out with her to find new armour for His Lordship.

"It's a bit rusty," Kagome said, eyeing the piece of armour sceptically.

"Rusty, a bit. But it will protect you from any blade or attack," the shop owner said enthusiastically.

"This one?" asked Inuyasha, prodding another piece.

"It's a bit small," Kagome said dubiously.

"Small, a bit. But it will protect you from any blade or attack," said the shop owner.

"Oh, good grief. There's nothing here," Kagome sighed.

"Well, considering who you're getting the armour for…" Inuyasha said. "I think you'll have to custom order…"

She was a geisha fallen from grace pretending to be a man, not a lord's daughter. It wasn't as if she had stores of gold hidden in her pants to just custom order armour. "Can we just patch the one he has now up?" sighed Kagome.

"Easier said than done," Inuyasha said as they left the shop. "Sesshoumaru keeps his armour on every waking moment. Maybe he even sleeps in it."

"Damn," swore Kagome. "Now we'll have to be careful not to wake him up."

"If he even sleeps," Inuyasha said. "That's not even once a week."

"Well, we'll time it right," Kagome said determinedly.

"If you say so… Wait," he said suspiciously. "Did you say, _we_?"


	12. Night Dealings

**Chapter 12: Night Dealings**

"Bad idea," whispered Inuyasha. "Really, really bad idea."

"Oh, shush you," Kagome said, trying to peer through the shoji screen doors. It couldn't be that difficult to break into Sesshoumaru's quarters and mend his 'cracked' armour, right?

"Like, _really_ bad idea," Inuyasha said. "My mother said never to disturb sleeping youkai," Inuyasha said.

"What nonsense, he's your brother!" exclaimed Kagome.

"Have you _heard_ him around Jaken? I tell you, he doesn't need to kill people; he frightens them to death instead!"

"Shut up, you'll wake him up!"

"Whatever… no, don't creak the floorboards!"

"Well, stop pushing me!"

"Just be quiet!"

They waited in tenterhooks. "You think it's safe now?" whispered Kagome. "We've been out here ages."

"Alright then," sighed Inuyasha. "In we go."

Carefully, Kagome slid back the door silently. Maybe it was a blessing she had become a geisha after all, for where else would she have learnt such tricks. Slipping off her sandals she tiptoed inside quietly while Inuyasha followed after her.

Feeling for the nearest wall, Kagome felt around dumbly until she hit a hard, cool surface. She felt Inuyasha move behind her, doing the same. Slowly, she traced her hand along the wall.

Faint streaks of moonlight streamed through the windows, allowing Kagome to miss hitting most things. Her hand ran past a wall scroll, and a carved decoration.

She felt Inuyasha brush past her. Something clicked, before the room was bathed in a dim flickering light.

Without realizing it, Kagome held her breath slowly. Inuyasha nodded to her, and she followed him behind a long folding screen.

The maids had laid out a fresh futon already, but it was empty and crisp still.

"Oh, heck," swore Inuyasha softly.

Suddenly, something swished by the window soundlessly – the only clue they got was the sudden shadow passing by.

Something smashed into the window, ripping it open and cracking the wall.

"Who the hell…" Kagome began.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" demanded Sesshoumaru, glaring at them through the tear in his window. His poison whip glowed a deadly green for his hand while the paper in the windows sizzled slightly.

"Why the hell did you rip the window?" asked Inuyasha.

"An intruder," Sesshoumaru said. "But for all his cowardice he was quite adept at ducking."

Kagome's eyes were round. "One of Naraku's men? Or women?"

"I doubt it," snorted Inuyasha. "Would Naraku send a woman to do his dirty work?"

"As he has shown with Kagura and more recently, Tsubaki, Naraku obviously believes in using women," Sesshoumaru reasoned. "All the same, I think it was a man from the glimpse I got of him."

"Who's Tsubaki?" Kagome asked.

"A witch he uses to help him out for a price. She's extremely old but uses a demon in her to keep her youth and beauty."

"Wouldn't want to meet _her_," shuddered Inuyasha.

Naraku sighed, gazing into Kanna's mirror that showed the three. "But you already have, Inuyasha…"

So the attempt to mend Sesshoumaru's armour had failed. Kagome's training with Kaede wasn't going so well either.

"Straighter, Kagome!" rapped Kaede for the hundredth time

"I'm trying!" Kagome said, gritting her teeth.

"You absolutely _must_ -"

"Have a perfect posture, yeah, I know," grumbled Kagome, her bow quivering under her grasp.

"If this is the best you can do…" sighed Kaede. "Alright, take a shot."

Kagome released her arrow and watched it sail by, only missing the target by a few centimetres.

"Not bad," Kaede said.

"It'll have to do," shrugged Kagura, watching. "Naraku's growing impatient."

"That'll do," said Sesshoumaru. "We cannot afford to lose anymore time. The emperor's funeral will be held tonight, and afterwards we will no longer be able to hold off the selection of a new king."

"Tonight?" gulped Kagome. "Do I have to attend?" There went another perfect armour-borrowing opportunity…

"Yes, tonight. I'm trying to see if there's a way to get you in as a girl. Inuyasha and Miroku won't be attending…"

"Why me?" moaned Kagome piteously.

"Stop complaining," Kaede rebuked gently. "It isn't ladylike."

"Why don't you want to tell Miroku who you are?" Kagura wanted to know.

"I don't know…" Kagome said.

"Kagura, you're coming," Sesshoumaru decided. "Naraku isn't about to sit still, and I think it would be safer if you were around a large group of people. Kagome, as female or not, you're coming in case Naraku pulls any tricks with the blood bond."

Kagura nodded. Funeral or not, it was only natural that geisha would attend for the banquet after, to entertain.

"No problem. Leave it to me. I'll astound you…" Kagura said, dragging Kagome away.

Yes, Kei Higurashi would be appearing as a geisha tonight.

The transformation was not pretty.

As in, loud protests of, "No!"

Followed by, "Hold still, Kagome…"

"NO!"

"Hold _still_, or I'll mess it up!"

"Kagome, it's just one evening," Kaede reasoned.

"Sango, _help me!_" wailed Kagome as Kaede and Kagura held her down to paint her face.

"Go blame Sesshoumaru," Kagura said. "No, go blame Naraku for even, casting the blood bond in the first place... There. All nice and perfect," Kagura said cooingly, releasing Kagome.

Kagome glared at her reflection in the mirror.

"Now, now, it's just wax," soothed Kagura like she was taking to a small child.

"Yeah, wax… _on my face_," snapped Kagome.

"It will protect your skin." Carefully, Kagura ground up a bit of red paint. "Now, you need to keep still so I don't mess this part up."

"Kagome, you look gorgeous," giggled Sango. "You should've done this more back at the okiya."

"Gorgeous?" asked Kagome incredibly. Kagura was busy painting her face stark white!

"In a moment, you will be," breathed Kagura, wetting a brush. Carefully, she filled in Kagome's eyes, before moving off to paint her neck and shoulders.

"Oh, I forgot to buy a stencil," Kaede said, carefully applying a pout of red safflower rouge on Kagome's lips.

"Nonsense. Who needs those silly things?" scoffed Kagura. "I can do without them."

"Umm… stencil for _what_?" Kagome asked warily. She hated the triangular points geisha left unpainted on their necks.

"Quiet. They're completely sexy and erotic," Kagura yawned.

"_What_?"

Someone knocked on the door.

"Oh, excellent, that must be the hairdresser," Kagura said while Sango went to open the door.

Kagome froze. "The _who_?"

"You see, in the end I thought we could disguise her as what she's supposed to be. A geisha. No one would suspect anything," explained Kagura, beaming at Sesshoumaru.

"Can you stop talking like I'm not here?" asked Kagome, appearing before them in a foul mood. She halted, staring at Sesshoumaru. "Your… armour…" He wasn't wearing it.

He looked impatient. "We're late. We can leave when you're done gawking."

"You could have told me you wouldn't wear it," complained Kagome. She could've then told Inuyasha to fix that damned armour while they were gone… No, that idiot Sesshoumaru had to just change into some nice black silk kimono, armour excluded. Undoubtedly, he looked nice, but… Couldn't he have _told_ her?

"I thought it would've been obvious, being a formal occasion."

"Well, it wasn't obvious!"

"Alright, alright, let's go," Kagura said, starting to walk. "There's a crinkle on your clothes, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He brushed her off. "No there isn't."

"Oh, there so is," Kagome nodded.

Sesshoumaru looked disdainful while Kagura tugged his clothes straight. Kagome stared; she hadn't ever seen anyone treating the great lord this way.

"Now we're all set," Kagura smiled.

"Naraku said you have to attend the Emperor's funeral," said Lady Higurashi, dragging kimono after kimono out of drawers.

"What? I'm not going to fool anybody!" Kikyou said.

"Well, you have to give it a shot," sighed Lady Higurashi. "How bad would it look if an important lord's daughter did not attend the Emperor's funeral?"

"Not very bad," argued Kikyou. That slut Kagome grew up so inappropriately around the younger lords. Surely they would know immediately if someone pretended to be her.

Lady Higurashi shrugged. "You could always say you've grown up and changed in looks."

Kikyou took insult. "I don't even look like her! I'm way prettier."

She was getting sick and tired of doing what Naraku wanted all the time. If Naraku was so wonderful, why didn't he just get the throne already? Obviously the shogun was not powerful enough to do so. Kikyou was fast losing faith in Naraku.

"If we don't help Naraku, the Western Lands side will surely attack us for selling that stupid Kagome in the first place!" Lady Higurashi said.

Kikyou frowned. Why the hell would Lord Sesshoumaru attack the Higurashis for no reason other than them selling their daughter. By right it was the clan's business.

She thought hard. "You wanted to take control of the Higurashi's affluence and assets, did you not?" smiled Kikyou deviously. Lady Higurashi fidgeted and Kikyou smiled even wider, amazed at her own cleverness. "I don't know how you corrupted or threatened Lord Higurashi until he married you, but once the marriage was complete you planned to take over, slowly. No wonder… his baby son mysteriously disappeared. And Kagome was no threat to you, until the Lord died without giving you a child."

Now, to twist that knowledge to her benefit…

Naraku spied the willowy geisha leaving the funeral banquet, and he licked his lips, calling her name.

"Kagura."

She froze, sake jar in hand.

"Where are you going?" asked Naraku oilily.

She fought to keep her voice from trembling. "To the kitchens, to fetch more sake."

Naraku waved a hand. "I'm sure a maid can do that. Why don't you step upstairs with me for awhile."

"No, I have to get the sake, thank you."

"I meant now, Kagura." She could feel his eyes burning holes through her skin. "You never used to shy from me," Naraku growled.

Kagura couldn't find anything to rebut him with.

Kagome scanned the room anxiously. The ceremony and rites had gone, and when the dinner started Kagura had volunteered to get more sake for their table.

"Shouldn't Kagura be back?" she whispered.

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything, his eyes darting to Naraku's table. The man was missing.

"Kikyou's missing too," Kagome said in a low voice.

"I'll get the woman; you go find Kagura and Naraku. If he's trying anything smart, remember to try and break the blood bond. Even if it doesn't work, he'll get held off, understand?"

"Alright…" Kagome searched the room with her eyes once more, before getting up and leaving the room quietly.

She made her way to the kitchens slowly. Hopefully she could work out where Kagura was from there.

A maid passed her in the corridor, carrying a basin of cold water.

"I'll take that," Kagome said, taking the basin. Anything to get that layer of… _stuff_ off her face.

Sighing, she splashed the water on her face, turning it a milky white. When her cheeks felt scrubbed raw and she was confident her skin was free of that paint, she dried her face with a kerchief from her obi sash.

"Thank you," Kagome sighed in contentment, handing the basin back to the maid. She could actually feel the air touch her skin.

"I _knew _it was you," the maid said.

"Who?" Kagome asked, before studying the girl closer, feeling sick to her stomach. She recognized Kikyou in an instant, and knew the girl recognized her back.

"Why haven't you brought me that girl?" demanded Naraku, his hands threatening to close themselves around her throat.

"She's too protected… she spends every waking hour with a miko, Lord Sesshoumaru or another of her friends…"

"Sleeping hours, then?"

"Well, she does sleep with her friend sometime -"

"Kagura, I don't like to be kept waiting."

"I know, but -"

"I know your secrets."

"Wha… what do you -"

"I want the girl. It's not hard, Kagura."

She shivered, though beads of sweat ran down her forehead.

Naraku smiled coldly. "You're feeling warm, it seems. Here… maybe you've got too much clothing on…"

"Let go of me!" Kagura snapped, reaching for the thing closest to her – a vase.

"What, trying to kill the shogun now, are you?" Naraku asked. Keeping one hand on her neck, he used his free hand to knock the vase from her grasp.

"You'll never, ever -"

"Get away with this? Kagura, do I need to prove it to you?" He knew what he wanted, and he wasn't above threatening her physically.

Her eyes widened.

"The girl, Kagura," Naraku said softly. "I give you three days."

The door slid open effortlessly, revealing Naraku was his hands around Kagura's throat.

"I'm interrupting something, it seems," Sesshoumaru said, looking icily at Naraku.


	13. Foiled!

**Chapter 13: Foiled!**

Kagome eyed Kikyou. Kikyou eyed Kagome.

Two beautiful women, the air around them thick with tension.

"I _knew_ it was you," Kikyou said, lips curling. "No one else has your ungraceful way of moving."

"I wonder how you even pass off as me," Kagome retorted, glaring. "No one beats your bitchiness."

"Enough said," snapped Kikyou. "I know what Naraku's after."

"Wow, I wouldn't be able to figure it out on my own, I'm such an idiot. I'd appreciate it if, from today on, you stopped pretending to be me," Kagome said angrily. It was illegal to pose as a member of a high-ranking family, though the lure of immense money and power at her disposal must have blinded Kikyou.

"What do you want?" asked Kikyou cautiously. As much as she hated to admit it, the irritating chit of a girl was powerful.

"To go home. When all this is over I will return to my home with my brother. May I suggest you try and seduce a lord now so you won't get kicked out on the street when I return," Kagome suggested cynically. With that, she swept past Kikyou, her kimono silk rustling softly.

Kikyou's eyes narrowed.

"You'll regret that statement, _Miss_ Kagome!" she called after her, spinning on her heels and stalking off to find Naraku.

The shogun glared at Lord Sesshoumaru, who had the uncanny knack of upsetting Naraku's plans at the worst moments possible.

"Really, Naraku, laying hands on a lady?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.

"I don't appreciate your presence, Lord Sesshoumaru," snapped Naraku. "But I'll let it go. Take the whore, and get out." Saying that he shoved Kagura towards the door, and she darted agilely behind Sesshoumaru.

"Shogun… Naraku Takamoto… soon to be Emperor… Don't ruin your chances with unsavoury rumours you mistreat women," said Sesshoumaru with mock sadness.

Naraku's lip curled, and he forced himself not to react to the bait. "So you admit it. I'll become emperor – you'll never smell the scent of the throne you so covet."

"This Sesshomaru, covet the throne?" Was there no end to the shogun's madness?

"Oh? Then why secretly train the dead Lord Higurashi's daughter to become a miko? Why start a recruitment camp?" growled Naraku.

"Well, though I honestly believe this is none of your business, I shall humour you. The recruitment camp was a panic attack on the part of my retainer, nothing more. My retainer has been punished, but you cannot expect me to just send all those young men home with nothing. As for Lord Higurashi's daughter, my dealings with Lord Higurashi's daughter are truly none of your business. It's your dealings with the Higurashis that I must inquire into."

"Ask away, Lord Sesshoumaru. I may not answer." Naraku set his chin at an arrogant angle.

Sesshoumaru hardly took notice. "In replacing Lady Higurashi with the geisha Kikyou you obviously have an interest in the way the Higurashi's future swings to. I doubt you want the Lady back in her place, and I have yet to even believe you want Lord Higurashi back," Sesshoumaru said casually.

"Lord Higurashi?" Naraku frowned. "The dead lord had no sons."

"Research court intrigues properly, dear shogun, before jumping into fancy plots." Sesshoumaru extended a glance in Kagura's direction, who quickly scrambled up and towards him.

"Oh, by the way, Naraku…" Sesshoumaru paused at the door. "Just to inform you, I don't intend for you to get the throne. I suggest you quit while you're not making losses to your treasury, armies and reputation."

"Your husband had a _son_?" hissed Naraku. How in hell's name could he have overlooked that? No, how could the stupid bitch forget to tell him?

"No…" Lady Higurashi looked terrified, and Naraku smelt the fear on her like a rat.

"Liar." He glared at Lady Higurashi before him. "I cannot help you if you don't tell me the truth."

"Alright, alright," cried the lady. "He did. He had one son before Kagome."

"Please tell me you strangled him as an infant!" shouted Naraku. This was getting more and more dangerous by the second. The appearance of a male Higurashi heir could ruin all Naraku's carefully thought-out plans.

"I don't know…"

"_WHAT_!"

She looked terrified. "It was years and years ago…"

"And _where_ is this son?" asked Naraku slowly and quietly.

"I – I left him on the doorstep of a temple."

Oh, wonderful. A temple. Naraku felt his blood heating up. Honestly, was this woman retarded? A temple. Why didn't she throw the kid in a river? No, she had to leave him in a _temple_, where the priests would probably train him up in their religion.

A temple. A bloody temple. There were a countless number of them around Japan. And even if Naraku knew which temple, as shogun he couldn't just barge into a temple, demand a monk, and then kill him off.

One living Higurashi caused enough headaches for him. Now, apparently, there was another.

No one ever invited him to anything. The demons didn't want a hanyou like Inuyasha ruining their exclusive youkai parties. Even now, when hanyous weren't so discriminated against, Inuyasha never measured up to the pure blood status. As for humans, he wasn't the Lord of the Western Lands, and there was no benefit for them in inviting him to anything.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was the perfect dinner guest. Having him at a party would show off one's powerful connections, not to mention that no one dared insult the taiyoukai by excluding him from a guest list. No, it was always the perfect, wonderful, Sesshoumaru-sama who got the invites and the girls.

Similarly, at a huge gathering like that of the Emperor's funeral, the Imperial household had passed over Inuyasha's seat to make room for more of Sesshoumaru's retinue. After all, if Lord Sesshoumaru wished his brother to join them, he would always include the hanyou in his party.

Apparently the taiyoukai wished otherwise.

After pacing his room for awhile, Inuyasha decided to go down to the great dining hall. Maybe he could steal some food and sake off a maid. It was the least they could do considering they were rubbing salt into wounds, having a grand party downstairs in the palace when they knew very well he was upstairs.

Wandering down the hall, he spotted a powdery blue apparition making its way in his direction.

Good. For once the maids came to him, not the other way around.

Kagome, on the other side of the hall, spotted the familiar flash of red and silver. Inuyasha! He would have to be dense not to connect Kagome and Kei as being the same person after seeing her dressed as a girl.

_Think fast, Kagome_, she prayed to herself.

Reaching for her fan, she whipped it out, flicked it open and partially covered her face with it. She was certain she looked ridiculously coy. Still, she peered out from the top of the fan at Inuyasha, who was looking strangely at her.

Then he spoke. "Excuse me… could you by any chance get me a jug of sake."

Oh, heavens. He thought she was a maid.

"Sorry… excuse me." Kagome cast a fleeting look in his direction, before fleeing in the other direction.

Inuyasha frowned. What was with rude maids nowadays? And… he could've sworn he had seen those brown eyes somewhere.

Running away from Inuyasha as fast as her damnably cumbersome get-up would let her, Kagome made her way back upstairs to Sesshoumaru's room. She sure as hell wasn't passing up a chance like this to get his armour and fix the thing once and for all.

Carefully, Kagome slid open the shoji screen door.

Tabletops… dust-free and spotless. Floor… smelling of fresh tatami and perfectly clean.

Ok, where the hell did Sesshoumaru keep his bloody armour?

Wandering over to a cabinet, Kagome triumphantly flung it open.

An empty chest smelling faintly of cedar greeted her.

"Not here…" muttered Kagome.

Wandering around the room, there seemed to be no trace of it at all.

It couldn't be. Kagome felt like screaming.

The door flew open suddenly. "Kagome, I need you to break Kagura's bond with Naraku now," Sesshoumaru said calmly, looking thoroughly unsurprised to see her breaking into his quarters.

"I'm not ready," Kagome exclaimed.

"Of course you are," Sesshoumaru said in a no-nonsense voice.

"All I've done is shoot arrows!"

"It will have to suffice."

Before she knew it Kaede arrived and she was being dragged to the middle of the room by the old nurse. Honestly. No one even _cared_ to ask Kagome if she was capable. The whole miko business started when Sesshoumaru decided she was a miko. Nobody bothered asking if she even was, which she was still certain that she _wasn't_.

Kagome settled herself on the ground, Kaede besides her, lighting a candle between them. Sesshoumaru hovered nearby, she could sense his presence, but he actually kept away as though miko powers could sting – wait, they could.

"Concentrate carefully," Kaede instructed.

"Don't I need to be in the same room as Kagura or something?" asked Kagome.

"No… just concentrate. Starting from this room, try and find my soul."

"_WHAT_?"

"Concentrate!"

"Okay…" _Kaede's soul, Kaede's soul… _Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to try and 'find ' it.

To her surprise, she began to see a silvery white ball hovering just around Kaede's head

"Found it?" whispered Kaede.

Kagome didn't reply, but the judging from the slightly glazed look she wore the old miko felt she had. This was good. Kaede continued, speaking in a calm, measured pace. "Try and concentrate in the corridor outside this room."

Kagome furrowed her brow. As though the walls were invisible, she thought she saw a glowing ball float along outside. "A maid… walking past."

"Good… and the room across from us?"

She saw the soul, and recognized it. "Sango-chan's in there…"

So far, so good. "Now, try and find Kagura."

It was as if the entire palace had turned into floating balls of light.

"Found it," murmured Kagome. She could see Kagura, yes, she was in a room. "But… Kaede, it's red…"

"Exactly. Now, to break the bond, you need to purify Kagura's soul until it turns white like every one else's."

"We're going!" snapped Naraku to Kanna. He jumped into his carriage, intent on heading back to his castle. "The sooner we leave this stupid palace, the better."

She said nothing, but followed obediently as he swept out of the dining hall.

"Tell me, Kanna, did Lord Higurashi really have a son?" barked Naraku as soon as they were safely out of the palace gates on the way home.

"I don't know," Kanna said faintly. If he got any angrier he would start beating her, or whomever he could get his hands on.

"Find out!"

"I will…" She didn't have her mirror with her though, what did Naraku expect her to do?

"And find out now!" How on earth could he have overlooked it? A Higurashi son! Naraku was furious, and above all furious with himself.

To add to his fury, a strange sensation was starting to build from his fingertips, like thousands of needles were jabbing themselves repeatedly into his flesh.

It crept up past his wrist before Naraku realized what was happening.

Purification…

Which meant one thing. That the annoying Lord Sesshoumaru was getting a miko to break the blood bond between him and Kagura. Naraku didn't know which miko was strong enough, but he knew it would take nearly the strongest miko in Japan to do it.

Naraku nearly exploded. "We're going back!" he snapped, spinning around and heading straight back into the palace gates.

With every second, his skin burned even more. Keeping his face impassive, Naraku flew towards the palace bedrooms, he could still sense the bitch Kagura even if they were trying to sever their connection.

Then all of a sudden, he couldn't feel her anymore. All he could feel was the stabbing pain of a severe purification spell.

Reaching the nearest door, he flung it open.

The shiny, deadly point of a blade met him in the face.

"You dare threaten me, the shogun, with a sword?" Naraku yelled blindly.

The Lord of the Western Lands looked serene, almost. "I certainly do." Behind Sesshoumaru, Naraku spotted two figures in the shadows but he couldn't make out who they were.

"Surely even the shogun won't force himself into my private quarters," Sesshoumaru said, narrowing his eyes.

Naraku stepped back into the corridor, Sesshoumaru following, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Why is breaking the blood bond of such importance to you?" demanded Naraku. "Kagura is just a whore, she should mean nothing to you!"

"You're using it to accomplish your own evil plans, and I won't allow it," answered Sesshoumaru icily.

"You have no proof!" Naraku exclaimed in anger.

"Then why rush here the moment you felt that the bond was being broken?" countered Sesshoumaru.

The shogun fumed. "Fine, if you know all my evil plans, then tell me, what was I trying to accomplish through Kagura?"

"You wanted Kagura to bring you Kagome Higurashi, so you can possibly use her as a hostage against us. Or better yet, kill her so she can never get throne."

Naraku laughed madly. "Now, why would I do that? Women can't ascend throne."

He knew Lord Sesshoumaru would hardly be fooled by that silly excuse. Any educated member of nobility knew the conditions for ascending the throne; if pushed to reign, Kagome could get crowned with the approval of the majority of lords. Or she could marry a minor lord and take the throne as his empress.

Naraku tried to divert the topic. "Which miko are you using? Few can break a blood bond initiated by me, and no one can do it from afar!"

"This," Sesshoumaru said coolly, "wouldn't be the first time you have been proven wrong."

Finally, Kagura's soul shone a pure white. Sighing, Kagome allowed herself to lie on her back, exhausted.

She felt Kaede's hand, squeezing hers proudly. Already, slowly but surely, her strength was returning.

"It's nothing a good night's sleep won't cure," Kaede said with pride. This was _her_ Kagome, the baby she'd raised from birth. And her Kagome wasn't a miko to tangle with.

The door banged open. Kaede looked up as the shogun flew in, anger written all over his face. "You stupid miko, you -"

Sesshoumaru let him fly in. The bond was broken, and Naraku would do well to learn that the Higurashi girl was not a weepy lord's daughter easily snuffed out of competition for the crown.

Naraku paused. The woman in miko robes was an old woman. By the looks of it, she was old and haggish and probably going to die soon. No way could_ she _have broken the bond.

Which left the person lying on the futon, breathing raggedly.

Striding over quickly, Naraku yanked the person up, glaring at her.

"You -" he stopped short. He had seen this person somewhere.

The geisha who had disappeared, while dancing for them with a sword and no paint on her face…

The boy samurai who followed Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha around…

The silent geisha at the party just this evening…

Lord Higurashi's daughter, the one he had been hounding Kagura to bring to him.

"You!" spat Naraku. He had been under the impression the girl was hidden, heavily guarded by Sesshoumaru and a retinue of guards daily. And she had been in the palace the whole time, guarded by an old lady? Naraku would've long come after her himself, and save all that bond-breaking nonsense.

"My, my, shogun…" There was a sneer in Sesshoumaru's voice. "Manhandling two ladies in one night?"

"I see no lady, just a cross-dressing whore. What I do, really, is none of your concern," Naraku snarled, though he released Kagome from his grasp. He couldn't well fight Sesshoumaru, he knew.

"How _dare_ you!" exclaimed Kagome. Without warning, she raised her arm and slapped him soundly across the face.

The smack echoed around the room.

"Bitch!" Naraku lunged, but not before Kagome scrambled towards Sesshoumaru. To the taiyoukai's surprised she wrenched his sword from him, a heavy weapon for a woman, and pointed the sword at Naraku furiously.

She glowered at him. "Let's get one thing clear…" Kagome said coldly. "Remember Kikyou? You asked the okiya to release her, as me. So in the eyes of Japan and the record books of the geisha house, Kagome Higurashi has returned to her home. Therefore, there is _no_ geisha by name of Kagome Higurashi. I'm not, I never was, and never will be a geisha, much less a whore!"

"Naraku, you should go get rest," Sesshoumaru intervened with mock concern. "After all, now that the late Emperor has been buried, tomorrow we choose a new emperor." As shogun, Naraku had to reside over the proceedings.

"Yes, I will go get some rest," Naraku said stiffly.

He would get his revenge one day, he really would.

"So now that the bond's broken, can I stop miko practices?" asked Kagome.

"But you've made incredible progress," reasoned Kaede.

"I don't _like_ being a miko."

"Either way, we'll have to fight Naraku somehow. He won't lie down and let someone become emperor," Sesshoumaru said.

Just then, Inuyasha rushed in.

"She took her!"

"What? Who?" asked Kagome. Inuyasha was agitated – too agitated to see she was a girl.

"After Sesshoumaru and Naraku went out into the corridor, this white girl came in. I thought she was a maid! Before I could say a thing, she had grabbed Kagura and disappeared."

"White girl?" asked Kaede, confused.

"Kanna…" Sesshoumaru said.

"Naraku's minion…" Kagome said, closing her eyes in frustration.

It was their fault, really, that they hadn't guarded against the scheming shogun. Just when they'd gone through all the trouble of breaking his stupid blood bond, Naraku had gone and kidnapped Kagura.

Well, they would just have to confront the shogun again.


	14. Ascension

**Chapter 14: Ascension**

"I'm going to be a boy today," Kagome announced, twisting her hair into a topknot.

"Don't you need to use a plain hair tie?" asked Kaede.

"Oops." Kagome dropped the embroidered silk strip she was holding and picked up a black one.

It was getting confusing switching between genders.

She wondered how they were going to choose their new Emperor today. Kagome never really paid attention in her history or politics lessons. Not to mention, the previous emperors all had heirs, so succession was hardly a problem.

Kaede set a bowl of rice in front of her. "Eat. I still don't get why you must go." It was dangerous for Kagome to be seen about – someone might recognize her.

For Kagome, she wanted to give that shogun no room to play funny tricks. Naraku would be sorry if he tried anything while she was there.

However, Kaede wasn't so sure Naraku was so easily taken down. "Naraku will be there, won't that be dangerous?"

She tossed her head lightly. "Stop fussing, Kaede, I'll be fine."

"Oi, Kei, you done?" barked Inuyasha from outside. He was still irritable over the Kagura kidnapping incident, as although Sesshoumaru hadn't blamed him outright, Inuyasha knew that Kanna would never have been able to get away if Sesshoumaru had been there.

"Coming!" Shoving a mouthful of rice into her mouth, Kagome ran to the door.

Kaede rolled her eyes. "Shoes, child."

"Oh, yeah." Kagome grabbed the pair Kaede held out to her.

"Why do you spend so much time with the hag?" asked Inuyasha suspiciously as Kagome appeared besides him.

"Oh, she was… um, my neighbour."

He began walking, but eyed her curiously. "So?"

"Well, um…" Kagome thought of something, and brightened up. "She has this completely beautiful granddaughter, about the right age to get married to. So, you know, I'm trying to… get in the grandmother's good graces."

"Ah." Smart plan, mused Inuyasha. Miroku tended to take the more direct approach, taking the girl first _then_ consulting with angry parents and grandparents.

"Do you have a girl you like?" asked Kagome. She had no clue why she'd asked it.

His furry ears twitched. "Oh, I don't know… some geisha maybe."

"Oh."

Inuyasha looked at her curiously. "You? Surely you've been with a geisha before."

"Um…" Been one? Yes. Been with one… that was a different story. "Yeah, um, loads of times."

Inuyasha seemed impressed. "Which ones?"

Oh, shit. Now Kagome panicked. As a poor village boy she couldn't very well name all the top geisha of Gion, which were the only names she knew.

"Ready to go?" Miroku asked, descending on them.

Sighing in relief, Kagome nodded.

"Are those puny lords going to try their luck at being Emperor?" asked Inuyasha as Miroku led them through the town's winding alleys.

"Lord Houjo and Lord Kouga?" Kagome asked. She hadn't known they wanted the throne.

"You know them?" Inuyasha said.

"Oh, no, no. I've just heard of them." Kagome kicked herself sternly. She was getting too relaxed around the two guys.

Miroku looked thoughtful. "I think they won't contest the throne. Even if they wanted it they wouldn't dare piss Sesshoumaru off."

Kagome didn't see how it would piss Sesshoumaru off, considering that Sesshoumaru didn't want the throne.

"Well, it's either him or Naraku getting the throne. I wonder who they want," Miroku said.

They were meant to be at the famous Ritsuen teahouse, and although Kagome had no idea where it was it wasn't difficult to find. A crowd of screaming and pushing commoners were pushed far back, but they jostled along the main street leading to the Ritsuen anyway.

As Kagome expected, most of the daimyo lords as well as the shogun was present, gathered in a massive hall with their various retainers. Naraku hadn't brought Kagura along, but he was flanked by Kanna and Hakudoushi. Houjo was placed alongside Kouga. Lady Higurashi had come along with Bankotsu, placed on the other side. Kagome and Inuyasha sat besides Sesshoumaru, but Miroku had long disappeared.

The pervert was probably in the room next door, he just couldn't resist teahouse geisha. Kagome couldn't believe this man was actually her brother.

Naraku stood, eyes sweeping the room. There were about fifteen lords in total, most of whom were there for posterity only.

He began the meeting. "Although we mourn our beloved Emperor, we have come here today to -"

"Cut the crap, Naraku, we don't need it." Kouga interrupted. "Why don't you just come to the point?"

"Why, thank you for your eagerness," Naraku said smoothly. "Since you can't wait to get this all over, I'll humour you. We shall commence the reading of the Emperor's Will." He withdrew from his sleeves a rolled up piece of silk. Unrolling it with an air of grandeur, Naraku cleared his throat and began to read.

"By order of I, the Emperor in the year -"

"Inuyasha," whispered Kagome. "Do you think the emperor introduces himself that way?"

"I don't know. But that sounds too much like Naraku's style of writing for my taste," he said sourly.

"You mean you think he faked the will?" whispered Kagome.

Naraku was still reading. "I order that in the event of my passing, the shogun, Naraku Takamoto, shall be named Emperor of Japan. As of such, the role of shogun shall be merged with that of the throne and all power should be controlled by the emperor himself. Signed - "

"Liar!" shouted Kouga.

"You would call the emperor a liar?" asked Naraku dangerously.

The lesser lords looked uneasy, and started muttering amongst themselves.

"The Emperor said that one of the daimyo lords would be crowned Emperor, with the shogun as advisor," Kouga snapped. He knew he was probably too weak to be considered for the throne, but he certainly did not want Naraku's butt on it.

"Those were mere rumors," Naraku shrugged. "I have in my hands the real will."

"Rumors regarding things like the next emperor are never false!" yelled Kouga. The bastard shogun had faked the will; the question was, where was the original one?

"Calm yourself, Lord Kouga. You aren't helping yourself by shouting so disrespectfully at your next emperor. I'll let it pass for today."

"And the new Emperor's advisor?" asked Lady Higurashi. Too eagerly, noted Kagome.

"Of course, lady. I have ample evidence of your capabilities. When I am formally named Emperor, you will, of course, be my advisor." Looking around the room, Naraku smiled as though daring someone to challenge him.

Bankotsu shifted slightly. Kagome glared at him.

"I notice Lord Sesshoumaru is being awfully silent on the matter," Naraku said, turning his red eyes on Sesshoumaru.

The taiyoukai refused to be goaded. "I would like to see the will," Sesshoumaru said at last.

"You would question the emperor's will? One he wrote with his own hand, sealed with his own stamp?" Naraku asked dangerously.

The room fell silent.

"Indeed, I would, if you cannot provide more proof."

"You're saying I'm lying?"

Sesshoumaru looked thoughtful. "Why… yes."

"The nerve. You would question your Emperor's last testament, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Naraku asked dangerously. Questioning the words of an Imperial Will was tantamount to treason.

He didn't flinch. "If I'm guilty of such treason, show me the will, that I might have peace, before throwing me into prison."

Glaring, Naraku threw the will over to Sesshoumaru.

As much as his instincts told him otherwise, at first glance Sesshoumaru could see nothing wrong. Everything was in order…

"It's a fake," whispered Kagome, running her fingers along the material.

"Then how did he get imperial silk to fake it on?" Sesshoumaru asked. The exact thick, smooth feel to the silk was there.

Kagome thought hard. "I'd say bleaching."

"And how do you know?" asked Inuyasha.

It was a guess, but Kagome knew that when writing ink on silk, especially Imperial silk with a luxurious weave, the material would always retain an imprint of any pattern painted across it. This Kaede had taught her when ripping apart old kimonos to make toys for children. which is even better. Chances were that Naraku had simply removed the Emperor's original will and repainted over the silk, which would fool anyone at face value.

"If," Kagome said tentatively, "we slice the material across… It's hard, but if we can do it, there should be faint ink characters from the original script still imprinted in the middle."

"You sure?" questioned Sesshoumaru.

"Not really," confessed Kagome.

Now or never. Pulling a slim blade from his sleeve, Sesshoumaru carefully poised the blade on the edge of the silk.

"What are you doing?" demanded Naraku.

"Nothing of importance," Inuyasha said airily.

"Stop them!" shouted Naraku. "They're destroying the will!"

There were samurai warriors present, outside the hall, ready to defend the lords from assassin attack at a moment's notice. But they hesitated at Naraku's command, unsure of this new development.

Sesshoumaru took no notice. With absolute precision he slid the knife across the silk, slicing the Emperor's will into two.

"Let's see," Kagome reached for the thin halves, squinting.

Pale letters sprawled, barely discernable, across the bright silk. Letters that spelled a message different to that of Naraku's.

Well, they had Naraku now.

Word had travelled quickly. By the time the conference broke up, and a large crowd had gathered outside. They proceeded to separate into groups to follow the lords as they left, and even the likes of Inuyasha and Kagome were not exempt.

"Bah, how annoying can they get?" grumbled Inuyasha, slamming the door of a ramen shop closed behind the crowds of people pushing.

"They're just interested in the brother of their potential emperor," laughed Kagome.

"Are we eating or no?" asked Miroku. This place did fantastic Kyoto-style ramen.

"Of course we are," grumbled Inuyasha. "We make the most of lunch breaks. Especially when there's free lunch."

The owners of the ramen shop were only too happy to feed Inuyasha now that it was rumoured the Lord of the Western Lands might take the throne.

Though of course, Kouga was still highly interested. Kagome glanced at Miroku behind his back.

Yes, Miroku was in the running too, he just didn't know it.

On the other side of town, the shogun, who was decidedly not in the running, was livid. Kanna didn't know what to do, except to try and calm him down. This left her with no choice but to consult her mirror.

"My lord," Kanna said quietly, afraid to agitate Naraku when he was in so foul a mood. He had even forgotten about Kagura, merely staring at the ceiling of his bedroom with a face blacker than thunder.

"What?" barked Naraku.

"You have found the Higurashi girl, and I have found the Higurashi boy."

The first good news all day. Naraku looked at her expectantly. "Who is he? Where is he? Is he a priest in a temple?"

Kanna's mirror shimmered gently, before showing Kagome with Inuyasha and Miroku at a noodle shop somewhere.

"_That_ houshi!" Naraku all but shrieked. The one that followed Inuyasha around like a dog. The one who had always been a few rooms away from Naraku.

He was beginning to feel every person he was out to kill or capture was always dangled right in front of his nose, within arm's reach.

This was bad. This was really, really bad. The samurai were in chaos over the faking of the will and Naraku would never gain their loyalty. Since Houjo and Kouga were unlikely to become emperor and Sesshoumaru didn't want to… The next Emperor might well be the priest sharing a cheap bowl of ramen with Kagome and the hanyou.

"I'm turning gay," Inuyasha confided quietly.

"What?" whispered Miroku, staring.

"That Kei," sighed Inuyasha.

"_Who_?" Miroku glanced over at the far end of the room. Thank god Kei was busy ordering more ramen from the front counter, and wasn't paying attention.

"Who else?" snapped Inuyasha.

Looking at Kei again, Miroku found that he was beginning to understand Inuyasha's feelings. There was a subtle, but ever-present effeminate air about Kei. Everything – the way he walked, did his hair, even the way he held his chopsticks… He was even better at being a girl than Jakotsu ever would be.

"You sure?" asked Miroku seriously.

"If I wasn't sure, it wouldn't have been tormenting me ever since he arrived at the recruit camp," grumbled Inuyasha. "I _know_ I'm not gay."

"Trust me, Inuyasha," Miroku said in an assuring voice. "If Kei was a woman, the men would be over her. But he's not, so you'd better go consult Jakotsu over that one."

Watching Inuyasha and Miroku whisper in a corner, Kagome gave up trying to hear what they were discussing, and drowned herself in another cup of rice wine.

She wondered if Sesshoumaru would ever be convinced to take up the throne. Naraku would resist any Emperor, but it was only because he himself couldn't resist _being_ the Emperor.

Slowly, she picked up bits of pickled seaweed, crunching them down with relish. She had to admit, the palace did have fine chefs. If she wasn't careful she would soon become fat. At least sake was virtually fat-free; the way she gulped it down to rinse down her food, she was lucky she wasn't stoned already.

A group of samurai pushed their way into the shop, swords clanging noisily as they shouted orders to the harried staff.

"I say the shogun becomes emperor, fake will or not!" growled one man with a missing eye. Naraku paid warriors well, at least, he knew the benefits of a strong army and made sure to reward the men who served him without question.

"He's _obviously_ up to no good, faking a will," another argued, very flushed in the face. The samurai all stunk of wine, but they ordered more anyway.

"Takada's right, the shogun is definitely not becoming Emperor," yet another samurai said.

"Definitely not that little pretty boy Houjo," snorted one.

"Nor that loud-mouth Kouga, god damned, he's such a bastard! He's got designs on that Higurashi daughter and he's not even good enough on her."

"Che! What nonsense you hear! Kouga loves his women young, that's all. Nothing wrong with that."

Someone suggested the Higurashi stepmother, to loud dissension.

"I'll commit seppukku before having that Lady Higurashi on the throne." One of the men shivered. "She's _such_ a shrew, and she's not even of noble blood. We're not having an old haggish whore on the throne, that's for sure."

"Well, we seem to be running out of candidates, the way you all shoot them down!" yelled one, drinking his sake straight from the jar.

"The younger Lady Higurashi?"

"We haven't heard hide or hair of her since she came back from the geisha house. I think she's hiding."

"Bah. Lord Sesshoumaru, then."

"Him and his stupid servant?"

"Who else, you fool?"

"Heh," the guy hiccuped. "Me?"

"You? Becoming Emperor? I'll kick your ass!" One samurai flew at the unfortunate man, while the others stood back shaking their heads.

One way or the other, the future of Japan hung in the balance.


	15. Rebellion

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews, they were quite inspirational. :D**

**Someone mentioned my use of the 'f' word in the previous chapter. Rest assured, I have nothing against homosexuals. But drunk samurai can get vulgar...**

**Chapter 15: Rebellion**

"Oi, Bankotsu!"

Bankotsu's long braid whipped around as he turned to face Inuyasha. "What do you want?"

"Well, I, um, need to meet with your brother."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Which brother?"

The one that's infatuated with boys, you idiot. "Um, the one called Jakotsu."

"Why?" asked Bankotsu.

"Well, it's like, something that's a personal issue."

"Did I hear someone say they wanted to talk to me about a personal issue?" A slim woman stepped out next to Bankotsu.

Inuyasha stared. "Who are you?"

"Jakotsu, of course. My, aren't you pretty? With those little hanyou ears… "

"I'm sorry?" asked Inuyasha quizzically.

"Never mind. You said you had a question for me"

"Well, I was wondering if you, by any chance, knew what, um-" Inuyasha looked at Bankotsu.

"I'm not leaving," Bankotsu said firmly.

"Fine…" Inuyasha blushed red. "Jakotsu, I was wondering if… if by any chance you knew what makes men love other men."

A silence hung in the air, until Jakotsu burst out roaring in laughter.

"What makes men love other men!" exploded Bankotsu, beginning to laugh. "You had to come all the way over here to ask that?" No matter if he hated Inuyasha, the hanyou was too funny to be hated.

"It would depend," Jakotsu said, delighted someone would actually ask his advice on such important matters. "I take it you like another man?"

"Well, that's the thing… I'm not sure." Inuyasha looked around warily.

"Well then… who is this person?"

"You know the boy who follows Sesshoumaru around, Higurashi Kei?"

Bankotsu gaped. "The one that looks like a girl?"

"Yeah, that's the problem! I keep imagining he's a girl."

Because… he _is_ a girl… "Don't worry, Inuyasha, things will sort themselves out," Bankotsu assured him.

"Oh, and Inuyasha!" Jakotsu called. "Feel free to come and visit me anytime!"

When Inuyasha had slipped back to his room, Jakotsu looked down. "Lucky whoever that Kei person is, with such a pretty Inuyasha infatuated with him."

"Hey, Jakotsu," Bankotsu began, grinning. "You do know that Inuyasha doesn't actually bend that way, right? Kei Higurashi is actually Kagome."

"Damn," Jakotsu sighed. "I never have any luck. Do you think Sesshoumaru -"

"Don't start," growled Bankotsu in exasperation.

* * *

Jaken came flying into the room so hard he tripped and fell flat on the floor.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" he squawked.

The lunch dishes had long been cleared, but Kagome sat there pulling apart rice balls and eating the stuffing. Miroku had gone off to make bets with some men about who was going to be announced emperor, while Inuyasha had slipped away. Sesshoumaru kept completely to himself, thinking his own personal thoughts. Jaken's interruption was annoyingly loud to the quiet of the room, and Kagome glared irritably at him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! I heard, I heard that -"

Miroku appeared in the doorway, looking gleeful. "Look at this!" he said, 'accidentally' stepping on Jaken on his way to the table. Drawing a large cloth pouch from his sleeve, Miroku emptied a mountain of gold and silver onto the table.

"Look what I got?" he asked triumphantly, fingering a gold nugget.

"I thought you were a priest," Kagome said suspiciously. Maybe he wasn't her brother after all.

"I am, but I don't see what that has to do with anything," he asked, frowning slightly as though in deep thought.

"Never mind," Kagome said, smiling. Monks weren't supposed to gamble, but then again, they weren't supposed to womanize, lie, pierce their ears or keep their hair long. "Did you win your bets?"

"Hell yes!" Monks weren't supposed to swear either, sighed Kagome inwardly. "I knew I would win."

"Ok, so who's emperor?"

"Him," Miroku said, jerking his thumb at Sesshoumaru. He seemed more concerned with his money than showing good manners to his new monarch, but then again, all the gold could get him a good supply of high-class geisha for a long time, mused Kagome.

Jaken seemed to recover. "Sesshoumaru-sama… the samurai… they chose…" he seemed unable to do more than stutter. Him, Jaken, the loyal servant of the new emperor! Already he could picture the honorary titles he would receive. Jaken, Most Trusted and Noble Advisor to His Majesty Sesshoumaru Taisho.

Inuyasha came bounding in. "Holy crap, Sessh, you're emperor?" he asked. "I had to fight my way through your fan crowd to get in here. Good, now that you're emperor, I'll have more ramen."

"What fan crowd?" asked Jaken, peeping out the door.

"Them," Inuyasha said carelessly, glancing at the scores of people packed on the ends of the corridor. None had dared ventured in, but hordes of immaculately painted women and drunk men waited.

To say news travelled fast would be an understatement.

* * *

"Drink up," Naraku coaxed, his mouth curled into a smile.

Kagura glared at him.

"Fine," he said, sighing deeply. "You must be thirsty, though. Such a shame…" Taking the sake cup from her lips, he downed the cup in one gulp.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"Someone to talk to. You're a good geisha, aren't you? Good geisha can always hold conversations."

"And why would you want to talk to me?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I'll be honest." He poured another cup of sake and pressed it to her lips. "But drink up first. I apologize, I haven't treated you properly as a guest."

"Guest?" Kagura snorted. "You keep your guests chained to the table?" For good measure, she jerked her right arm, and the low table rattled.

"I _am_ sorry." Naraku released the chain around her wrist. "Better?"

"What do you want?"

"Well, we'll keep it simple. Say, if I had not taken you away, would you have tried seducing Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"This is ridiculous. Let me go."

Naraku titled his head. "Of course you would have, it's your nature."

"I would _not_ have seduced him," spat Kagura.

"I'm sure you wouldn't," he said disbelievingly. "Well, you should have done it earlier."

"And why, pray?"

"Because Sesshoumaru-sama got crowned emperor today."

"What?" She flinched.

"Well, not crowned, but chosen."

"So you'll let me go?"

"Of course I'll let you go," he said sarcastically. "No, I'll keep you here so you can help me kill him off. Then you can be more than the potential mistress of an emperor. You'd be the potential mistress of a dead emperor, and the wife of the new emperor. Me," he added for good measure.

And it was then she noticed the undercurrent of anger in his red eyes, and decided to drink the sake obediently.

* * *

"I bet you Naraku will do something stupid," Sango said immediately once Kagome told her the news. "Which is good. I need to kick some ass."

True. Sango had stayed cooped up in the palace with Kaede for so long. "I'm sure you'll have your chance," Kagome said, yawning sleepily.

"Maybe he'll just give up and back down," Kaede suggested.

"Unlikely. Naraku? No, if he went so far as to fake a will, he really wants power."

Kaede frowned. "Why, though? Isn't being shogun good enough?"

"Easy, Kaede," Sango laughed. "It's no secret the shogun holds all the power while the emperor is a religious leader, in another words, the puppet. If Naraku becomes emperor, he'll hold the power of the shogun _and_ title of emperor."

"Sounds about right," Kaede said, stretching out on her futon. "But I still don't get where the other lords come in."

"Well, should Kouga or Houjo become emperor, Naraku would be happy still. They would become puppets as well, but Naraku holding the strings. But if someone as powerful as Sesshoumaru or the Higurashis become emperor, they would not settle for being puppets. So, Naraku made it his goal to win my stepmother over, as she is the current head of the clan," Kagome explained.

"And somehow Kikyou's all tangled up in this mess now," finished Sango. "Kagome, I think it's time to tell Miroku who you are."

"True, true. Tomorrow, I will." Kagome rolled over and snuggled under the comforter. "Good night, everyone!"

* * *

Some rapidly approached his bedroom, and Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open.

The door slid open and in trooped a whole army of maids and servants. "My lord," the most extravagantly dressed of them said rather pompously. "I see you are awake. Excellent. Today will be a busy day. Allow this humble servant to see to your dressing and we can begin our activities."

Really. Very funny. Sesshoumaru wasn't letting this idiot of a servant touch him any more than he was about to let Jaken.

"My retainer?" asked Sesshoumaru coldly.

"The toad? He has been sent to the kitchens to prepare your meal."

"I require no meal."

"Of course, majesty. But, majesty, you are the emperor now. You will have me and this group of servants to look after your needs. And, majesty, you must follow court etiquette."

This was the thing he had been wary of since the last emperor had died. Following court etiquette as a lord had been one thing. You followed their stiff rituals in the palace, but once you got home, you lived the way you wanted.

Not the emperors. As emperor, you lived by those strict rules every hour, with lots of servants who were more interested in filling their pockets. These grovelling people were ten times worse than Jaken. No wonder the last emperor has passed on so early – Sesshoumaru knew the servants had tried to regulate even the time he spent with his concubines so they would not have to stay up too late waiting for him to return.

"Highness, would you deign to step out of bed or would you rather a maid help you?" asked the servant.

That oily, disgusting freak of a servant. "And if I preferred to stay in bed?"

"Your Majesty, that would be against court etiquette."

"What if I don't like the etiquette?"

"If it pleased you, majesty, you could change the etiquette."

Sesshoumaru did not like the glint in the servant's eye. One wrong move, and the servant would blurt to the entire Japan what a screw-up their new emperor was.

Cursing silently, Sesshoumaru pulled himself from the futon.

"Excellent, majesty," the servant said, smiling patronizingly. "Now, if you would deign to come, overnight your new chambers have been prepared. We have a bath waiting and -"

No one used that patronizing tone on Sesshoumaru and got away with it. Resisting the urge to slice at the wobbling fat of the servant's double chins, Sesshoumaru allowed himself to be led out of his room…

For the moment. It wouldn't be wise to throw his weight around yet. But just wait… when he had officially killed Naraku and established peace in Japan…

That servant's head would be the first to roll.

* * *

Kagura stared at the plum blossoms most untidily arranged in a vase.

Instinctively, she began breaking off the bottom of the stems and rearranging the flowers. Flower arrangement weren't part of geisha training, but she had learned anyways.

Naraku had given her food, water, clothes, a warm bed, and a huge room to wander in. Correction, a huge room that was missing windows and a proper door. Where the door in rooms usually was, a wall decorated with hanging scrolls stood. The only way in was a nasty little side door, that, instead of the usual screened doors, was made of wood and had heavy chains hanging off it.

She had to be one of the most pampered prisoners in the country.

The little door's chained creaked as it swung open.

"What?" Kagura asked rudely. That same little white girl that had brought her to Naraku brought her meals also, and now, the girl stood in the doorway.

"Naraku is gone," Kanna said softly.

"Where to?" asked Kagura lazily, more concerned with her plum blossoms.

"A rebellion."

The older woman glared. "And why are you telling me this?"

Kanna looked blank. "Because Naraku said to tell you not to get your hopes up. When Naraku is through with them, none of them will be alive to save you."

* * *

"So what are we doing today again?" yawned Sango.

"Nothing violent, I hope," Kaede said, looking rather warily at Sango.

"Well, I was hoping maybe Naraku would attack or something…"

"Sango!"

"Stop it, you two, I'll ask Sesshoumaru," Kagome grumbled. Shuffling around the room getting, she gathered her clothes, a small dagger and her money pouch and started dressing.

"What's the dagger for?" asked Kaede sharply.

"See you later," Kagome called as she skipped out of the room.

Where Sesshoumaru's room had been, she found only a miad cleaning it.

"Where's Sesshoumaru?" she asked, yawning.

"Who?" she asked, confused.

"The emperor…"

"Oh, oh!" Realization seemed to dawn on her. "The Chief Servant Fujiwara took him to his new chambers."

Right, the emperor usually had his own flight of rooms in another part of the palace. "So where are the emperor's rooms again?"

"I wouldn't know," she said, frightened.

Well, Kagome couldn't beat it out of them. But she could offer… encouragement.

"I'm sure you can remember," Kagome said, patting the girl's arm and in doing so discreetly slipped a silver nugget to her.

* * *

Just the sight of so much food made him not hungry anymore.

Sesshoumaru was perfectly used to banquets of hundreds and hundreds of dishes.

But when there were nearly twenty plates of food, for a mere breakfast and for no one but him, he felt sick.

"Eat, Your Majesty," simpered the servant.

"I'd rather not." Sesshoumaru glared icily at the man.

"It would be against court etiquette -"

His hand flew out and gripped the servant by the neck.

"Any moment, I can release poison enough to melt your pathetic neck," hissed Sesshoumaru.

"I…" The man was a pasty white and rigid. "Begging… your pardon, sir… I was… out… of line…"

People started shouting outside the door. Dropping the servant like a sack of potatoes, Sesshoumaru strode over and flung it open.

Two men were very loudly arguing with Kagome. "I want to see him," she snapped.

"The Lord Emperor is unavailable," they snapped back.

"Says who?"

"Says the Chief Servant Fujiwara."

"Well, tell your Chief Servant Fujiwara he is a wimpy loser. I bet he's trying to wind Sesshoumaru around his fingers right this moment. I'm telling you for a fact it's not going to work, so unless you want to spend the rest of your pathetic life in a jail cell, you'll let me in."

"Ha! You little liar. Do you think we fall for such miserable lies? We -"

"Excuse me, is there a problem?" inquired Sesshoumaru.

The two guards stared, beginning to tremble.

Sesshoumaru pointed to a group of dumbstruck servants. "You four, take these two dolts and that fat servant, and throw them out of the gates."

"Isn't that a little harsh?" Kagome asked, stepping inside.

"What, less harsh then throwing them into a jail cell to rot in for the rest of their pathetic lives? What do you want?"

"I was going to ask you what we were doing today, and if it was alright if I told Miroku that I was his sister."

"Well, we're trying to and get me out of this predicament of kingship."

"And what about Miroku and -"

"Your Majesty!" A runner came in, yelling. "The shogun is gathering troops to the south of the city!"

"I guess we're fighting Naraku today, then," sighed Kagome.

* * *

"You're joking," stared Inuyasha.

"No, I am not," Sesshoumaru stated matter-of-factly.

"You mean… we're actually going to fight Naraku?"

"What, you scared?" grinned Miroku.

"Shut up! I couldn't be happier."

Jaken came rushing in, his hat askew and his staff waving blindly. "We're fighting Naraku? My recruit camp! My camp! Sesshoumaru-sama, we could use the recruits and -"

He looked up to the empty room.

"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA! WAIT FOR ME!"


	16. Miroku's Awakening

**A/N: Okie, WARNING.**

**They fight with Naraku in this chapter, alright? Not a lot of gore – coming from me, it _means_ not a lot. Lots of swords clashing and running around, though. If that doesn't agree with your asthma or something, don't read. Onegai shimasu, arigatou.**

**Also, some choice words use. I mean, some characters just LOVE cussing in battle. And Jaken cusses all the time. :large grin:**

**Ooh, and review issues.**

Thanks Massao-na-Mizu for all the reviews. All fifteen! O.O

The whole issue about mizuage. Yes, I know Arthur Golden painted a bit of a different picture of it in Memoirs of a Geisha. Yes, I know it is a rite of passage from girl or woman – the geisha's changing hairstyles from that point in time shows it. But please bear in mind this is mizuage from Kagome's standpoint. To her, rite of passage be damned, no old man was going to deflower her.

And for my sources, I don't use Memoirs of a Geisha. No author should ever go ahead and write stuff from one source only. I have used Geisha by Lesley Downer, as well as first-hand sources from my grandmother's gossip clubs. You'd be surprised how loud old ladies can get, talking about secret stuff when among themselves.

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

**Chapter 16: Miroku's Awakening**

Four heads peeked out from the battlement's edge.

"He needs troops to fight his battles," snorted Inuyasha, watching the sea of men milling around far away. "My sword alone can wipe that wimpy Naraku out." He placed a hand on the handle of his sword, as though he was going to draw it any moment.

"Shush," Kagome said. "You'll draw attention to us."

"Ha! Yeah right! I'll -"

"Shut up," Sango said bluntly.

"Where did Sesshoumaru go?" asked Miroku.

Inuyasha looked bored. "Probably off beheading Jaken somewhere. About time, too."

"Wait, so what are we doing here again?" Kagome said.

"Keeping watch. And um," Sango glanced at Miroku, who was stretched so far over the wall he looked ready to fall over. "Um, checking out the women apparently."

Two girls at the bottom of the city's southern fortress giggled and carried baskets of fruit into the city. Miroku looked on, seemingly fascinated.

"Ok, give me one time the houshi isn't thinking about women," Inuyasha said.

"Well, when I'm arguing with you," Miroku said.

"You all know Miroku's supposedly some lord's son, right?" Inuyasha asked the girls. They nodded, and he carried on. "Well, if Sesshoumaru didn't make emperor and Miroku did, how many concubines do you think he would have?"

"Let's see… ten?" Sango asked.

"Yeah, ten per night," snorted Kagome.

"Sounds about right to me," Inuyasha said.

"I am a connoisseur of women," Miroku declared stoutly, "not some pervert."

"Fine words coming from the houshi," scoffed his friend.

"You guys stop bickering and keep watch!" yelled Jaken, who had unceremoniously appeared behind them.

"Who died and left you in charge?" demanded Inuyasha. "Wait, scratch that, I wouldn't leave you in charge even if I died."

"Bah!" Jaken looked disgusted. "Like you little hanyou would ever get left in charge for anything."

"Naraku..." Houjo run up, panting. "Naraku said… Naraku said…"

"What did he say, you stupid little thing?" snapped Jaken.

"Hey! Houjo is a _lord_. Apologize for being so rude," Kagome said.

"Naraku said that he would duel any one of us. If he won, he got the throne," Houjo said.

"Idiot doesn't want to risk his men's necks," Inuyasha said derisively.

Houjo continued. "And if we won, Naraku would give us that girl Kagura back."

"What?" blustered Jaken. "A throne in exchange for a whore! Wait till Sesshoumaru-sama hears, oh, it'll be -"

"Do us a favour, Jaken, be quiet; you're scaring the ladies away," Miroku said, eyeing a group of girls from over the wall.

"And go fetch Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha added. "Tell him what Houjo said."

"Where is he?" asked Jaken.

"Well, I don't know… let me see… well, you being as important as you are, you should know… so… _GO_! Little idiot," muttered Inuyasha as Jaken scrambled off.

"Be nice," Sango said reproachfully.

"One on one, huh," Kagome stated, staring off into the distance once more. "I'd take him on." It was the bastard who had decided to let Kikyou pose as her, after all. He got was coming to him.

Inuyasha was quick to jump on her. "You? One on one with Naraku? He'd topple you flat, look how skinny you are."

"I could beat you any day!"

In a flash Kagome had knocked Inuyasha to the ground, conveniently straddling him and pinning him down. "Take that back!"

"No!" His face a beautiful shade of pink, Inuyasha struggled against her. "It's perfectly true."

"Children, let's make peace amongst ourselves in this time of war," Miroku lectured in a perfectly saintly voice.

"Let's not ogle women in this time of war, too," retorted Inuyasha from the ground.

"Let him go," Sango told Kagome anxiously.

"See how generous I am?" muttered Kagome. She hopped off Inuyasha, and he sprung to his feet immediately.

"Can't get stand your own ground against a smaller opponent, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru drawled languidly from the distance.

"Jaken just went to find you," Miroku said.

"Naraku says he wants to fight one-on-one," Houjo added.

"And if we win we get Kagura, if he wins he gets the throne," Inuyasha informed Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru didn't flinch, but looked at Inuyasha instead. "A bit of an unfair trade, don't you think?"

Kagome snorted. "I think he thinks you like Kagura."

"Even if any of us did, he should know better than to try and propose such ideas. A throne in exchange for a woman?" Sango said, incredulously.

"Did Naraku send a messenger?" Miroku asked Houjo.

"No, a letter carried by a large bird. It's still perched on one of the lookout towers' battlements."

"Then, as courtesy dictates, we'll write a letter back. Houshi, you can read and write, can you not?"

"Of course."

"Inuyasha, go find Jaken -"

"Why _me_?"

"- and Kei, go help Miroku."

"Sesshoumaru," began Inuyasha, looking indignant.

"Go."

And as they ran to do as they were bid Kagome noted ironically that while Inuyasha had had to yell his lungs out to make Jaken scuttle off to find his lord, all his brother had to do was mutter a calm order for the lot of them to rush off in a flurry.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"_Dear Naraku_," read Houjo. "_We have received your letter inviting one person from our side to a one-on-one fight with you. We have decided that -_"

Jaken, having before looked bored, now looked plain furious.

"WHAT WILL THE SHOGUN THINK? THAT LORD SESSHOUMARU IS A WIMPY LOSER? WHAT ARE YOU WRITING, YOU FOOL, LOVE LETTERS OR WAR DECLARATIONS?"

"Calm down, you crazy toad," Inuyasha said, looking over the letter. "Seems perfectly reasonable to me."

"THIS IS… IS A _TRAVESTY_! A… A – You can't even read!" howled Jaken.

"Yes, I can," Inuyasha said, oddly calm, though he grinned wickedly. He looked at the letter. "And it says here Jaken is the brave man who has volunteered to fight against Naraku."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Jaken? Brave?"

"Oh, please."

"That's a joke, right?"

"Of _course_ it's a joke," Inuyasha said, crumpling up the letter. "Ok, Jaken here says we have to make a new one, quick, before he shits a log..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome yawned. "So if we win, we get Kagura, and Naraku will surrender completely to our will? That sounds like an easy way to end this war without any bloodshed."

"But here's the catch. He wants five on five now," Houjo said.

"Not to difficult. Me, Miroku, Kei if he's strong enough, Sesshoumaru, and Kei's pal," Inuyasha said petting Tetsusaiga.

"No." Sesshoumaru glared at his brother. "You will cover the base and any injuries."

"True, that weakling of a Kei probably wouldn't last two seconds," Inuyasha mumbled.

"Stop picking on me!" snapped Kagome, thwacking him.

"So who else would fight, then?"

Sesshoumaru shot the two of them withering looks. "Kei and Kohaku, myself, and Bankotsu and Jakotsu from the Higurashi household will fight. The houshi stays with Inuyasha here, at the main gates. Kouga and Houjo will take the other city gates."

"Ooh, Bankotsu and Jakotsu!" squealed Kagome in happiness. Her friends were coming!

"Forgive me," Inuyasha said, sweat-dropping, "but that sounded like a girl."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A courtyard much, much larger than the average dojo gleamed in the sunlight.

Sango eyed Naraku and his group of fighters.

"A big, clumsy creature," she muttered, looking at one tall, ugly monster. It looked straight at her and roared.

"Another mind-reader," Sesshoumaru said, indifferent. "Goshinki number two. You have to block your mind or think faster than he can act, neither feat being easy."

"I'll take on Naraku," Kagome said. She had personal scores to settle with the bastard. "Sesshoumaru, you can have that fat beast."

They each faced off to different opponents. Bankotsu complained about being stuck with a little girl. Jakotsu snorted and said to wait till she sucked your soul out of you.

Kagome would have enjoyed watching Sesshoumaru fight Goshinki. But Naraku was already bearing down on her.

Finally, time to put her long and dreary training hours with her father into practice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Annoying bitch," cursed Naraku.

"What bitch?" asked Kagome innocently, barely dodging his blow.

"You're a girl!"

"Wow, then it must be sad for you. You, Naraku, losing to a girl?"

"Silence!" He roared, his aura flaring. Immediately, a glowing pink bubble encased him.

"Shields aren't allowed!" yelled Kagome, furious.

"And just what are you going to do about it… _bitch_?" taunted Naraku.

Kagome glared at him, her swords quivering. The blade of her fire sword began to smoke.

Slamming the blades together in an 'X', Kagome watched as two intertwined bolts of electricity flew towards Naraku, hitting his barrier square.

"Cheat!" shrieked Naraku. "You used a magical attack!"

"And you used a magical barrier!" screamed Kagome.

"Wow, Kagome, I didn't know you could do that," panted Sango, while running past her to catch Hiraikotsu as it flew back to her, the big boomerang having just given a faceless minion a nasty cut.

"What the hell are those two doing, fighting or having a screaming match?" Bankotsu yelled at Jakotsu.

"Don't know," Jakotsu said, sending an attack towards his opponent, Kagemaru

Bankotsu darted after Kanna, keeping her floating around dodging his attacks. She wouldn't be able to stop moving, meaning she wouldn't be able to concentrate on sucking his soul out.

"Holy…" Jakotsu watched as Kagome sent another similar electric attack Naraku's way.

"Pay attention, you idiot!" cried Bankotsu, blocking Jakotsu with his sword from another of Kagemaru's attacks.

He froze. Kanna's mirror was beginning to tug at his soul.

"Kagome!" yelled Jakotsu. "Do something! You, white girl! Give Bankotsu's soul back!"

Kagome looked over, narrowing her eyes at the sight of Kanna. And if could just concentrate… she could see white glowing balls of everyone's souls, just like with Kagura and the blood bond.

And Bankotsu's was fading into Kanna's mirror.

"Don't get complacent," Naraku whispered in her ear. She whirled around, and he landed her a nice long cut along her arm.

Bastard. If he ever got the chance to, Kagome was betting he would kill her slowly, and painfully. Breaking into a run, she dashed up to Bankotsu and Jakotsu, Naraku following closely.

"Jakotsu, cover for me," yelled Kagome. She could do this, she'd purified Naraku's blood bond before. Stretching out her arm, she concentrating on turning Bankotsu's fading soul bright again.

Growling, Naraku swung his sword in her direction, but Jakotsu blocked easily.

"Watch your back!" Sango shouted. Hiraikotsu flew past Jakotsu, cutting off Kagemaru's attack. The faceless monster Sango had fought lay dead on the ground, the pieces beginning to scuttle towards Naraku.

Goshinki roared and started stomping its way towards Sango.

"And where are you going?" asked Sesshoumaru, his whip landing square on the monster's chest.

He stomped towards Sesshoumaru, eyes red with fury, waiting for Sesshoumaru to make his next move.

_I could shut my mind. Or think faster than you, stupid creature. Or wait for you to attack me first. _

Goshinki howled in exasperation, and Sesshoumaru knew he had read his thoughts.

Kagemaru was keeping Jakotsu busy, so Naraku looked Sesshoumaru's way for a moment.

"Goshinki! You useless creature! What are you waiting for?"

At this scolding Goshinki stepped forward, raising one arm threateningly.

Sesshoumaru leapt into the air. _I'll merely dodge to your left._

Goshinki paused, before lifting his arm towards the left.

_Or the right_.

Fumbling, the creature began to swipe at the air wildly.

_Or the left._

_Or the right._

_Or I'll kill you with my sword._

_Or I'll get you from behind._

Goshinki turned as fast as his mass would allow him.

Sesshoumaru sent his whip flying straight through the demon's heart.

The monster was dead, no doubt of it, the way the whole place reeked of blood.

He sped towards Naraku. The hanyou would get what he deserved.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome cursed as she felt Bankotsu's soul race back into him, the shock of it hitting her in the gut. Kanna's mirror shattered, throwing her straight into the wall behind her.

Naraku seemed to be capable of screaming only one word now – bitch.

"Bitch!" he screamed, driving his sword straight home. He slammed her onto the wall Kanna had flew at – not caring that she lay in a crumpled heap, crushing the girl under her.

He laughed sadistically – under a sharp crack and a hissing poison sinking into his woke him up.

"Your creation was no good at all," Sesshoumaru informed Naraku haughtily. "And neither are you."

"Well, guess what, Emperor-sama? I just killed that bitch."

"And you were bragging about it?" Sesshoumaru casually fingered Tensaiga, before unsheathing it and killing the four hell demons clambering their way towards the wall.

A large fire cat landed on its paws, not too far from Naraku.

"No pets!" yelled Naraku.

"_Do_ stop yelling, shogun-sama, it's incredibly undignified," Sesshoumaru said.

"Kirara!" Sango exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll take Kagome back," Bankotsu said, looking white in the face – Sango couldn't blame him, the man had had his soul sucked out for crying out loud. "Can you and Jakotsu fight Kagemaru?"

"Hell yeah." Sango petted Kirara, stopping to wipe sweat off her brow. "Can you collect Kagome? I need to help Jakotsu."

"You make it sound like she's in pieces," Bankotsu said, wry.

"And like she's not? You'd better get that Kanna too, in case Naraku tries to get funny with bargaining over Kagura. And -" Sango paused, mouth slightly ajar.

"Don't stab ladies, you rude brat!" Jakotsu swore loudly and sliced off Kagemaru's arm. "And Sesshoumaru? A bit of Tensaiga here would be nice…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What's happening now?" asked Miroku, while Inuyasha helped Bankotsu pull Kagome off Kirara's back into one of the city wall's inside rooms.

"Well, let's see… Naraku is pretty pissed at the world right now, Sesshoumaru killed his demon and seems happy to have a go at Naraku, Sango has just died and is probably being revived now and together with Jakotsu she is trying to kill Kagemaru. Myself, I had my soul sucked out, but I'll live."

"Sango?" asked Miroku. "Who's…"

"See, I have to tell you something," Bankotsu began, but he saw the frown on the monk and figured the houshi was beginning to put two and two together.

"Kohaku is a girl? Called Sango?"

"What? Who told you that?" demanded Inuyasha.

"He just did, you idiot, you weren't listening," Miroku said.

"Well, forgive me if I was trying to figure out how to heal Kei instead of mindlessly chattering away!"

"Bankotsu!" Miroku grew serious. "If Ko- I mean, Sango was a girl, how come Kei never found out? They spent just about every waking moment together, and slept in the same -" His eyes went wide.

"Exactly," nodded Bankotsu. "Two girls go missing from Gion, Kyoto. Two under-sized men conveniently show up at some toad's half-witted recruitment camp. Ever wonder why Lord Sesshoumaru would bother with two worthless recruits?"

"I can't believe I didn't think… Hey!" Miroku rushed up Inuyasha. "Don't touch her!"

The hanyou looked puzzled. "Who?"

"My sister, you idiot!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For those who read it, how did it go? I thought for a moment cracking into Sesshoumaru's thoughts was kind of an impossible feat, and I hope I didn't bungle it too badly. n.n;


	17. Plans

**Chapter 17: Plans**

"What!" Inuyasha yelped and leapt away from Kagome. "He's a girl?"

"And you are _not_ gay," Bankotsu confirmed.

"I knew it," groaned Inuyasha. "I need to sit down… You mean the whole time we were looking for her, she was right under our noses?"

"Something like that…"

"Good lord," Miroku said, staring at Kagome.

"I can't believe it," moaned Inuyasha.

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "Just in case you were wondering, while you're here sitting in shock or rolling on the floor sighing about it, someone over there is bleeding."

Inuyasha snapped up. "Ok, what do we do? What do we do?"

"What are you, a child? Clothes off, blood off, healing stuff on and bandages on."

"Right you are," Inuyasha said. "But – she's a _girl_…"

"Ok, you don't help then," Bankotsu said easily, starting to untie the blood-soaked fighting haori on her.

"_Hey_!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"And I got killed four times," bragged Jakotsu.

"So? I got killed five times, _ha_!" Sango said. "And escaped with nothing but a broken arm, too!"

"Ha, and I'm a demon, I heal way quicker."

"You do realize I'm not listening, right?" Bankotsu interrupted.

"We _owned_ Kagemaru!" yelled Jakotsu, bouncing up and down.

"Where's Miroku and Inuyasha?"

"Ah. One's looking like his dream has come true and the other is wishing his dream would come true.

"Naraku ran away," Sango said mournfully. "He saw Kagemaru fall, and took off into the woods."

"Sesshoumaru said it would be foolish to try and enter the woods at night, so he sent us home like we were children," complained Jakotsu.

"Ever the hero, eh? Let me guess, he followed."

"Actually, no, he just disappeared off somewhere," Sango said.

"Probably to groom his fingernails or wash his hair," snorted Jakotsu.

"Like _you_ don't groom your fingernails or wash your hair?" sniggered Bankotsu.

"Yeah, well, I'm not a fanatic like the guy is. Maybe he broke a claw fighting Naraku and couldn't bear to show his face to the world."

"Want to see Kagome?" Bankotsu asked Sango.

"Of course."

Bankotsu led them into the next room. "Hey, houshi, Inuyasha. You two have had enough gawking time. Move along a little."

"Hey! I'm family!" snapped Miroku.

"Fine, you stay. Sorry, Inuyasha, but lovesick suitors don't count."

"Did she wake up?" asked Sango, peering at her unconscious friend.

"Yeah, but she asked us what we were doing, and Inuyasha so smartly said he was taking off her clothes. And Kagome fainted."

"Idiot," Sango said, bopping Inuyasha on the head.

"That's another one who's unconscious now," Jakotsu said, clucking his tongue. "Can I please look after Inuyasha?"

"Heck no. Inuyasha has just discovered he doesn't quite swing that way," Bankotsu retorted.

The door snapped open.

"Just as I thought. None of you thought to call a miko or healing-woman?" asked Sesshoumaru. Kaede trotted in, followed by -

"Kagura! What are you doing here?" Miroku asked.

"Kaze to onna wa tojikome rarenai," quoted Kaede. "You can't lock in wind or woman. Kagura just happens to be both."

"What nonsense," scoffed Kagura. "It was nice of Sesshoumaru to get me out, though."

"So he _wasn't_ taking a bath," sighed Jakotsu, looking dejected.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What are you doing?" shrieked Sango.

"Be still," Kagura said sternly. She slapped some ground herb paste onto bandages, and proceeded to wrap the material around Sango's ribcage. She jerked the ends sharply, earning a gasp of pain from the girl.

"You suck," Jakotsu snorted.

"Your turn," Kaede said easily, finishing rinsing a cloth in hot water and an herbal antiseptic before dabbing vigorously at cuts across his back.

"You suck," Sango said.

"Where's Bankotsu?" Jakotsu asked, choosing to ignore her remark.

"Sleeping. Really, sleep is the only thing that can help when your soul nearly leaves you." Kaede lectured. "In fact, it's nearly the only thing that ever helps for any injury, so I expect to see you two sleeping. No wandering off, insisting you're alright to fight, or arguing about who has the more severe injuries."

"Damn, she just ruined all the fun of being an invalid," grumbled Sango.

"You know how old people are," Jakotsu sighed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He looked up as the door slid open.

"I thought the old miko would have locked you in bed," Sesshoumaru said, eyeing his thoroughly bandaged visitor.

"Kaede? She's too busy telling Sango and Jakotsu not to sneak off, she forgets about me," Kagome said.

"It's not like any of you would sit quietly and heal, so you can't blame her, really."

"Like you would," snorted Kagome. "Talk about pot calling the kettle black."

"I don't put myself into situations where I have to waste time to recuperate," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, sorry if some of us aren't _strong_, _smart_, and over-arrogant youkai."

He looked unfazed, merely ignoring her comment and switching the topic. "What do you suggest we do to counter the shogun?"

"Hmm… assassins?"

"Not too clever an idea. What do you take Naraku for, a defenceless child?"

"Fine, um… exile?"

"He won't back off so easily."

"You know, if you keep vetoing all my ideas you might as well save your breath asking me."

He looked at her, sarcasm dripping off his words. "Well, why didn't I think of that before?"

Kagome let loose a giggle. "You're out of ideas…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha paced back and forth nervously.

"What're you doing here?" asked Miroku suspiciously, eyeing the hanyou in the corridor.

"What, I'm not allowed to walk in the corridors?" Inuyasha shot loudly.

"No, I'm asking what you're doing wandering the corridor outside Kagome's room," Miroku said.

"Oh, buzz off, you lecher," grumbled Inuyasha.

"Hey! You're the one lurking outside a girl's room."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Intimidate him."

"Naraku doesn't intimidate very easily," noted Sesshoumaru.

"Well, infuriate him. Kick him out of Kyoto and Edo. He'll burst a blood vessel."

"And then wipe him out. Not bad."

"See? I'm so full of good ideas."

"Anyone ever tell you that you should be less loud in a man's presence?"

"Yeah, lots of people."

"It never hurts to follow advice."

"Indeed," Kagome snorted unbelievingly.

"I'll walk you back to your room."

"Oh, don't worry."

"Yet it's precisely when you tell me not worry that I feel the need to inquire in your affairs."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Leave me alone!" Kagome swore.

"So you go gallanting off somewhere else?"

"Come on, what's it to you?"

"I'll tell the miko Kaede you were out of bed," he threatened calmly.

"Now, shut up…" Muttering under her breath, Kagome shot Sesshoumaru dark looks. "God, he's so… annoyingly, that… _jerk_… why can't he even be half as patient or sweet as his brother?"

"I'm sorry, what were you mumbling about?"

She sniffed. "I was commenting to myself on your role as arrogant jerk and why couldn't you try and come of half as good as Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" The Emperor nearly halted.

"Yeah, Inuyasha. He's a nice guy."

"So you fancy my brother."

Her cheeks bloomed into bright pink roses. "I didn't say -"

He brushed it off. "About time you showed some modesty."

"I'm always modest!"

"Apparently not enough?" She followed his line of vision right towards Inuyasha and Miroku pacing the hall outside her room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Sir, you have orders to leave Kyoto immediately, clear out your Edo home and return to the Northern Lands pending investigation of crimes."

"What crimes?" demanded Naraku.

"The Imperial orders do not state which crimes," the runner said pompously. "The Emperor gives you three days."

"Stripping me of everything but the shogun title?" snorted Naraku.

"That is pending the decision of the emperor."

"The emperor is a -'

"I would suggest you keep whatever the emperor is to yourself. You don't want to add high treason to your crimes."

"Ok, ok," Naraku snapped. "What am I being tried for?"

"You will be informed shortly."

As the messenger left, Kanna entered.

"What now?" demanded Naraku.

"He was here… he took Kagura."

"Who's 'he'?"

"The emperor."

"Stop bloody calling that bastard that!" screamed Naraku, before storming out the room in an angry rage.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What the heck were you two doing outside my room?" asked Kagome.

"Well, I was looking for an earring… Inuyasha was trying to eavesdrop on you."

"Eavesdrop? Why the heck for?"

"Because he likes y-"

Miroku noted the look on Inuyasha's flushed face, before deciding to keep quiet if he wanted to carry on his family line.


End file.
